Dragon Ball Eternal
by omolina100
Summary: Betrayed and left for dead after the Genocide of the Saiyans, Fasha wakes in an unknown world, bruised and battered, but alive. With no clear goal in sight beyond vengeance, it's up to her to ensure what little remains of her race doesn't self-destruct in a desperate bid for revenge. With the threat of extinction looming over their heads, she has to ensure their legacy is eternal.
1. By Saiyan Hands (Chapter 1)

It is the sudden stillness that causes him to cry out. Despite his extensive injuries he has yet to cry out in pain, no matter how many punches, kicks or energy blasts land on his body. His rage has not given him time to process the pain, but the sudden lull in the fighting finally exerts a small groan of effort from the saiyan. It is all he allows before he clamps his mouth shut through gritted teeth, staring at the creature floating on his throne less than fifty meters away, grinning like this was all expected, like he had just lured Bardock into a perfectly laid trap that had been ready for him all along.

His entire body screams for a moment of respite, and a moment is all he can give before his focus returns to the fight ahead. He cannot afford to dwell too much on his current situation, he has to push through, or he'll sink underneath the mountain of agony that is currently stabbing every inch of his body.

He is bruised, battered and burned from the hundreds of impacts he has received in the past few minutes. His armour is shattered in dozens of places and pieces crumble and break off from his body, revealing yet more injuries underneath. A cut on his forehead bleeds down the side of his face, which the artificial gravity pulls out, as if trying to squeeze the life out of him. And despite this Bardock has never felt more alive, more filled with power and focus.

His right hand closes into a fist that begins to glow with bright blue energy as he breathes in and smiles at the tyrant, sitting pretty on his elegant throne, his tail swinging by the side as if bored. A fresh flash of rage courses through him and he feels reserves of power surge through his body one more time. There is nothing after this. No sense in saving up energy for later, no sense in thinking about his survival beyond the next few minutes. He speaks, not because he cares if Frieza can hear him, not because he wants to explain himself to this creature that has betrayed him and his people in the most heinous way possible, no.

He speaks because he can feel the poignancy of the moment weighing down on his shoulders. He speaks because he understands that these are his final actions and words, and he has never been one to let just his actions do the talking. Saiyans do not die quietly after all.

'Frieza!' he yells in the thin atmosphere, his eyes narrowing on his target. 'We've done everything you and your father have asked of us, we've endured your humiliations and insults for your amusement, but no more! We are not expendable tools you can discard when you're done with us. You've never respected us but we've been loyal, and it all comes down to this! My fate, planet Vegeta's, Kakarot's... and yours too!'

The tyrant raises a single finger, almost lazily and Bardock tenses up as he draws his arm back. He doesn't feel indignation or sorrow as he lives his final seconds. He is a warrior and he has caused far too much pain to ever consider anything that occurs to him as nothing more than penance for the suffering he has brought upon others. He accepts that with no question, but his heart skips a beat at the thought of Gine on the surface, and he feels his arm growing taut and strong with the crazed might of desperation.

A final surge of power leaves his body through his hand, every muscle protests in agony as he throws the shining bright blue energy ball, rushing towards his most hated enemy. His eyes betray him for a split second, as a flash of gold glimmers from his attack before a chilling, maniacal laugh reaches his ears and the tiny, almost invisible energy ball floating atop Frieza's finger expands in an instant. A massive supernova that glows with sickly orange light suddenly exists before him and he watches as his attack is absorbed like a drop of water amidst an ocean of blood.

Frieza points, the merest flicker of effort and the massive moon sized energy ball rushes towards Bardock. Cold panic seizes him for the briefest instant, before defiance sparks inside of him again and he throws himself forwards, a second energy wave exploding from his hand, draining everything he had to give and more. A shining azure energy beam crashes against Frieza's death ball, and for less than half a second, Bardock holds back the doom of his people. His scream is ripped from his throat as the impossible becomes reality and he stands defiant. His muscles tear in a hundred places and blood pours from his wounds even faster as the strength bleeds from him. There is nothing but the laughter from a madman and the burning glow of death crashing against him. And still he holds, screaming until there is no more artificial, recycled air in his lungs.

Millions of eyes planetside turn upwards. Millions of souls, guilty and innocent, wicked and benevolent, wise and naive stare upwards in surprise as Bardock holds.

He holds for what feels like an eternity, his body strained well past the breaking point, his spirit burning brightly with the weight of his entire race, his every effort bent towards giving those on the ground just one more second. Against everything that should be possible, Bardock holds. With a cry that ripples past the physical realm and rebels at an uncaring universe, at uncaring gods and uncaring masters, Bardock holds.

But despite courage unmatched, despite might born from absolute desperation in the face of annihilation, it is not enough, and Bardock breaks.

The last of his strength finally leaves him. The burning energy ball pushes closer and begins by burning his armour off, cracking the feeble remains off his body. It touches his naked skin and the agony of his flesh disintegrating is everything Bardock can process.

The heat rises and his own voice is drowned out in the dying screams of an entire planet breaking apart. His thoughts are of a lifetime of war and combat, of bloodshed and destruction, broken by the shortest glimpses of the faces he cherishes. The soft touches on his battered body, the laughter with faces that quickly slip from his dying mind. The glint of black eyes underneath a starry sky. The brush of his fingers on his son's hair. The satisfaction of knowing he will be safe. This is the final thought forming in Bardock's mind, before the heat consumes him in hunger, and leaves nothing of the proud warrior behind. By the time the gargantuan energy ball collides with the planet, not even ashes remain of Bardock.

And as planet Vegeta dies in the cold grasp of space and the saiyan race is led to its coda, the tyrant's laughter spreads through his terrified underlings, a haunting warning that burns itself into those that witness the cruelty of their master.

There is a final push of energy against energy, and a buildup that spills over it's boundaries, and planet Vegeta explodes in a million pieces. Burning hot rock and gases rush in every direction. Earth-shattering crashes occur in the previous atmosphere as energy is scattered in all directions and desperate escapees that had briefly considered themselves safe are swatted aside without consideration.

Where there was life there is now nothing but the void, and the unheard dying screams of millions of souls snuffed in an instant.

* * *

It's quiet. Soft ruffling sounds are barely heard as wind rushes through the thick branches and bushes, ruffling and loosening stray leaves and pushing deeper into the forest. There are no animal cries anymore, those ended as soon as the crash occurred.

There, amidst the now burning vegetation lays a smoking machine, silver and bulbous in appearance, with scorch marks that tell of hundreds of re-entries into alien atmospheres. Its red crystal front allows outsiders to peer into it, and they would see a glimpse of a battered and broken woman, with wild brown hair dark enough to be perceived as black from afar. Her features hide her strength with a soft chin and gentle cheekbones that flow upwards, and a small, almost delicate nose. Her body is encased in battered pink armour, broken and shattered in multiple places. Blood pours down her body, soaking her slender, wiry frame. Her dark purple eyes flutter open and a groan of pain is heard as she wakes.

There is a beeping sound as the machine works in confirming the atmosphere around it, and after it is satisfied it lets out a hissing sound and the front of it opens forcefully, letting the fresh air flow inside with a rush.

Fasha reaches with a bloody hand and grabs the edge of the attack ball, forcefully pulling herself off her blood soaked seat with another loud cry of pain. The scorched earth around her has been lifted and dug with the impact, and small fires spread around her. The attack balls were never meant to be subtle tools.

With loud grunts and cries Fasha makes her way out of the crater, barely able to stay on her feet. Her fair skin is covered in bruises and scorch marks, and her usually stubborn hair has flattened and submitted from the amount of sweat and blood matted into it. It flows downwards, the tips brushing her shoulders, flickering and whipping around with the wind.

She looks around as she stumbles away from the pod, her senses searching for any means of sustenance that she can find. The rush of water can be heard from far away, and the sound of multiple animals returns to the forest as she get further away from the landing site. None that she recognizes, she has never heard of this planet before and her memory is hazy from her injuries and the suspended animation.

Slowly, stumbling and crawling, cursing and grunting, Fasha arrives at the source of the water rush, a knee deep stream of clear water rushing down the mountainside towards the visible valley below. With a grunt of effort she walks up to the edge of the river and drops like a rock inside of it, falling to her knees and earning another grunt as broken bones squeal in protest. She pushes her head under the water and drinks, letting the stream wash her matted hair. Thick clumps of red flow away from her, tainting the river and making the few swimming inhabitants scurry away from her in surprise. Fasha drinks mouthfuls, her desperation helping her suppress the pain of her wounds. She pulls back as her lungs start to burn with need and she lets out heavy gasps as she sits down inside of the river, her back against the bank.

She looks down at herself, and she feels a chill at the sight of her own ravaged body. She closes her eyes and thinks, her mind going over the last moments she remembers before she awoke here.

* * *

'Animals' she hears as her body is lifted off the ground. His voice is a distant call that snaps her awake and brings her back to the land of the living with a scream. 'I'm here! Fasha, calm down!'

She looks at him like a wild animal caught in a trap.

'Bardock' she speaks softly, swallowing painfully.

'Who did this? Who did this to you, Fasha?' he demands, his eyes filled with such rage that he looks like he would attack her if she didn't respond.

'Do...doria' she can only reply before her vision swims. She is falling, and everything goes dark. Voices follow her for brief moments, before she plummets into the pitch black void and she knows nothing else.

* * *

Her violet eyes open slowly, her gaze fixed forwards as she takes deep breaths and wraps her mind around what she knows. It takes her a while to notice the counter on her scouter and with a grim realization she moves her finger to the side of the device, and presses on the small red button that allows her to receive the messages.

Her face pales slowly as she listens on, her body frozen as a voice she recognizes very well calmly explains to her that her planet has been destroyed. That her people are dead. That a meteor has collided against planet Vegeta and that it is a tragic accident.

Hot, burning fury grips her at the casual manner in which the lie is delivered. Zarbon delivers the news in a hurry, as if eager to be done with it, as if the Frieza force had not just lost half of its strength, as if the extermination of one of the greatest parts of the empire was nothing out of the ordinary and just a petty task to be done with.

'That... was no... meteor' she speaks through gritted teeth as she removes her scouter, her hand almost crushing the device completely. Shards of metal, glass and plastic fall from her hand and splatter the river, flowing with the current and washed away in an instant.

Fasha lets out a howl of rage as her body is engulfed in an aura of pink energy that rushes outwards in all directions. Water explodes out of the river, soaking the nearby bank and trees and leaving fish flapping and fluttering around desperately before they are crushed by the heat and energy consuming everything around the saiyan woman.

As suddenly as the tempest began it is gone. The pink light dies with a bright flicker before she collapses to her knees, sobbing and screaming as she pounds the wet ground, breaking chunks of rock that are swept away as the water rushes back to fill in the empty space. She lays kneeling there until her bones ache from the cold water.

For a time there is nothing but the rush of water and her thoughts in her head and the pain from her wounds, until a loud rush of displaced atmosphere makes her look up.

Fasha jumps upwards and flies unto the air, desperately looking around for the source of the sound. With a grunt of effort she shoots like a bullet after the faint outline of blue and white left behind the pod, rushing down to crash into a deeper part of the mountainside. Her initial burst of curiosity soon leads to concern. Her eyes narrow as she holds her injured side and slows down, flying closer to the treetops.

She feels the exact moment in which the pod crashes against the ground. There is a powerful shock wave that rattles her bones and makes her eyes lose focus from the pain. She almost loses her balance and crashes against one of the trees, before she's able to regain her composure and follow the smoking, burning trail of destruction left behind the pod.

It's a scene identical to hers. A mixture of dead creatures, churned earth and burning vegetation surrounds a deep crater where a silver and white attack ball sits, still beeping as it verifies the atmosphere and that all systems are still operational.

She lands at the edge of the crater, her eyes wide as she stares at the pod. Unlike her own this is a much smaller variant, meant for infants, with additional life support and programming equipment, to instill newborn saiyans with all the aggression and instincts they are going to need to destroy all life on whatever planet they are sent to. Her mouth opens in surprise as the red tinted door opens and loud wailing explodes from the inside of the pod.

A grunt of annoyance slides through Fasha's lips as she makes her way down to the pod. She grabs unto the edge of the vehicle and grips it as she bends down to look inside, and her heart jumps in her chest as she stares at the child inside.

There is no doubt in Fasha's mind who the child is. He looks so much like his father that for a long time she can do nothing but stare and listen to him wailing and sobbing with hunger and rage. She reaches in and carefully grabs him from his waist, reaching in with both hands to stop him from punching and flailing in her grip, her eyes wide with shock. Tears flow down her eyes as she stares at Bardock's son screaming in her hands. The baby angrily punches her wrist and twists in her grip and Fasha reaches with one hand grabs his tail. There is a small cry of pain and surprise before the baby falls unconscious. She holds it him up with one hand as she examines him, looking him over for any injuries before she lets out a satisfied sigh.

This is the first time she's met him. They left when Gine was still pregnant and she hadn't visited Bardock's home ever since. There had been no time. She racks her brain for several long seconds until she finally recalls his name and a plan begins to form in her head. Too incomplete and abstract to even begin, but the pieces are there. Her grip on his tail remains firm as she lowers the boy and looks up at the stars, as if searching the sky above for her hated adversary. She nods once to herself as she takes a deep breath, her mind now made up. She reaches into the pod and removes the remote control for the ship, slipping it inside of her armour over her breast, adjusting her damaged armour before lifting the boy again and staring at his almost peaceful sleeping face.

'Well... we're a smaller crew, but it'll have to be enough, Kakarot.'

* * *

The crackle of fire and the smell of cooked meat finally stirs Kakarot out of his stupor and he starts crying as soon as he takes a deep breath, only for a clump of warm meat to force its way into his mouth. He chews on instinct, biting hard on the flesh of the animal before gulping it down, greedily opening his mouth for more.

'Finally found something that will shut you up' Fasha grins as she pushes another clump of meat into Kakarot's mouth and she takes a bite from the leg of a spotted feline that had foolishly thought she was easy prey because he was behind her.

She rips a chunk off and chews it slowly as she lifts Kakarot again, looking him up and down with a clinical eye. His armour is the same model Bardock prefered, and she knows it'll serve him well for many years to come. She sets him down and pushes another piece of meat into his mouth to stop him from crying again as she lets out a breath and thinks again on the past few hours.

She hasn't allowed herself to break down again, despite the bubbling, simmering rage that is threatening to explode with every action. With a somewhat more clear head she's able to think about her situation, and having the tiny Kakarot nearby allows her to voice her opinions and see what he thinks about them. He mostly looks around curiously or tries to reach for her or a nearby object on the ground but it's better than just thinking and saying nothing.

'For all we know it's just the two of us. I don't know where Bardock is, or if he even is still alive. Zarbon said most of the Saiyans were killed and I believe him. Dodoria nearly wiped us out by himself' she speaks with resentment now angrily ripping off another piece of meat with her teeth. 'Until I can figure out what happened and who we can trust, it's just us, which means we have to get stronger, very much so, enough to make sure we can kill anybody that finds out about this planet or that we're here' she explains as Kakarot grabs a stick and uses it to bash the ground, scattering dirt and leaves everywhere. The sight earns a small grin from Fasha as she picks him up and stands up, dusting her armour before doing the same with the boy. 'Don't think we'll be wiping the population, we don't want to make it more tempting for Frieza by making him think it's ready for sale' she muses as she rises into the air with Kakarot hanging from her arm. He looks around in amusement and lets out small sounds of contentment as Fasha flies around slowly, looking around for the direction of her pod, very slowly picking up speed to make sure she doesn't lose her grip on the child.

She finds her gaze drawn to him every so often, beaming up at her, reaching for her armour or her tail and she can't help but let out a small chuckle as she pulls her tail just out of his clumsy reach, making him grunt and struggle to try and catch it.

'You're alright, kid' she admits before tightly wrapping her tail around her waist again and picking up speed. 'We'll make Frieza regret the day he decided we were no longer worth his time. Mark my words Kakarot!' she states with a confident smile as she races towards her attack ball. 'Frieza will die by saiyan hands!'

* * *

_Author's Note:_

_Wow. It only took around 7 years for me to come back to this story! Funny how time flies isn't it? I actually had forgotten all about this entire website for many years, and it was a random email check on my spam box that actually reminded me of this. After so long, I thought I wouldn't be interested in ever rewriting the story I had deleted (and lost all of the original files for, mind you), but in truth my interest in Fasha's character has only grown with the years and the abundance of new lore that has been released for Dragon Ball! The new Broly movie has absolutely blown me away and I can't stop watching Bardock's final scene, it was playing on repeat as I wrote this first chapter, and I hope I did it justice. The entire scene with Bardock and Gine sending Kakarot away brings me to tears every time, and I can't wait to retell my tale with all the new details and changes that have occured in the Dragonball universe._

_One change I've decided on is that I won't focus too much on numbers when it comes to my character's power levels. They will be as strong as they realistically can be, and even more important, as strong as the story needs them to be. With some noticeable exceptions, such as Frieza's power in his first and second form, which is very well established and there's little debate or ambiguity over it._

_Anyways I'm rambling, it was very fun to craft this chapter again and I hope I can settle into a new writing rhythm soon, because there is plenty of Fasha and Kakarot that I want to write, and hopefully, with my foolish teenage years behind me I can avoid some of the pitfalls that overtook me the first time._

_Until we meet again!_


	2. There's Always Something (Chapter 2)

It is nighttime, and Kakarot cries. He is hungry, thirsty, cold, angry and scared and he does the only thing he can to fight. He screams and sobs as loud as his small lungs allow him, his every breath defiance at the many invisible enemies that seek to end his short life. He screams until his tiny throat is raw from the effort and his neck is sore but despite it he does not stop.

Large hands wrap around his waist and lift him from the rough ground. He is grabbed firmly to prevent him from flailing before warm, wet liquid starts sliding into his mouth forcing him to stop crying and gulp down. The warmth from the nearby body comforts him, and his anger fades away as his tiny brain understand that he's no longer in danger. Kakarot drinks heartily from the bag held over his mouth, grabbing it firmly with both hands to make sure it cannot leave his hungry mouth. His tears dry and his heart slows down, his first victory complete.

* * *

It is midday, and Kakarot cries. He is hurt, and his frustration is so intense that his entire body is shaking. With wet eyes he looks up at the tall imposing woman that has kept him alive and is the source of his current torment. Fasha is looking down at him with contempt, he's learned the look well, it's all she gives him whenever she is hurting him.

He pushes himself off the ground and he runs towards her, his small arm pulling back before punching forwards with all the strength he can muster. But like before she side steps him. He raises his arm to stop the blow he knows is coming before angrily driving his elbow into her leg, trying to hit her where she has showed him multiple times, but her leg stands firm before she swats him down to the ground again.

'Again' her stern voice demands.

Sobbing loudly, Kakarot stands up again, his tail angrily slashing before wrapping itself around his waist. She has painfully taught him what happens to a tail that is not kept under control. He takes a deep breath and has to force one of his eyes open. The pain of his injuries mounts up and he can barely raise his arm to punch, but he does not stop.

* * *

It is raining, and Kakarot cries. He begs and pleads and sobs, but she doesn't budge. Ignoring him completely she continues working on the silver pod and for a brief moment he thinks about attacking it and forcing her to stay, before he just as quickly dismisses the idea as he watches her. He understands how important this is for her. For them.

It doesn't help the tightening on his throat or the trembling of his legs at the idea of not having her.

She stands up and looks down at him, gracing him with one of the rarest smiles, the one she gives when she's proud of him. He knows it, and for a brief instant all is forgotten and forgiven. She kneels down as she runs her hand down his wet hair, combing it out of his face. He forces his hands into fists and clenches his body down, making sure to not tremble in front of her, not while he's face to face.

'I will return' she promises him, clutching his hand with her own. 'I swear it. I will not be in any danger, but we simply cannot live without knowing, Kakarot. I cannot live without knowing.'

Her words are true, and they convince him, but they don't soothe the cold fear growing inside of him.

'You are a saiyan. You are the son of the bravest and strongest of us. You will best anything this world has to throw at you and more. If something scares you then become strong enough to stop it. We are saiyans, and we will not allow fear to rule our actions. Never again.'

Those are her last words before she gets into the pod, giving both of them a confident nod as she crosses her arms over her chest. The vehicle rises into the air, and Kakarot's curiosity rises to the fore momentarily, looking in wonder at the device as it turns and blasts off. The old man speaks a few words, but Kakarot's mind is elsewhere as he watches it lift past the treetops. It hovers in midair for a moment, as if to let him burn the image into his mind, before it blasts off with a loud crash. Kakarot cries out her name. He knows she cannot hear him, and that it won't make her come back, but he does not stop.

* * *

It is morning, and Kakarot cries. His clothing is torn and the cold breeze of Mount Paozu does little to wipe his tears. He falls to his knees as he looks around at a scene of carnage and devastation so horrible that it makes his head spin. He clutches and shakes his head in desperation, his eyes wide as he repeats a single name over and over.

The destruction of the nearby mountain has left a gaping wound on the mountainside and the morning light now flows much earlier than usual. Rivers have spilled from their usual tracks. Dams have been created where trees the size of buildings have been smashed aside. Animal carcasses are scattered around the area. Laying in a gory mess is an unmistakable sight that makes his blood freeze.

Kakarot throws his head back as he clutches the broken and bloodstained remains. His voice breaks and becomes a fevered shriek of guilt and rage.

It is a new sensation, one that threatens to drown him, and in his desperation to be rid of it he runs away, the trail of blood and torn clothing following him deeper into the mountains. He reaches the rocky mountaintops and does not stop. He leaves them behind and enters the heat scorched desert, the sun beating down on his exposed skin, before he finds himself rushing back through the thick forests, his body driven to exhaustion, but he does not stop.

* * *

It is the afternoon, and Kakarot grins. His latest growth spur has left him tall, broad and powerful. His body is a finely tuned weapon that strikes precisely as he means to, no more loss of control plagues him as he digs his fist deep into his enemy's stomach with enough strength to lift him off the ground and send him crumbling towards the arena stage. No sooner has he hit the ground that Kakarot is moving again, his body carrying him upwards into the heavens. His hands come together as he looks down at the tournament stage, his eyes locked on the green demon staring in utter fear and helplessness at him.

'Ka! Me!' he speaks, his voice now carries the authority of his confidence and the certainty of his own superiority, and his strength in undeniable. 'Ha! Me!'

His friends run for cover as his jump reaches its peak and he holds in the air for a moment, never taking his eyes off his enemy, daring him to try anything before he ends him. He sees it, the moment of desperation, in which his brain is trying to come up with any solution and failing and so resorts to the only thing he can try, a tiny golden glow emerges from his throat as he tries to blast Kakarot out of the air.

His voice is certain and clear, laced with the viciousness of his race but none of its malice. A bright blue energy beam explodes forwards as he screams, rushing towards the demon in an instant. His feeble counterattack is pushed downwards and all but ignored before his attack collides against his body, and the entire arena explodes in a shower of blue light that drowns out even the sun.

For a moment there is only Kakarot and his vanquished enemy, for a moment there is only the peace of the aftermath of his attack, before he lands on the ruined tournament stage, looking down at the crumpled and burnt body of Piccolo Jr. He turns to smile at his friends with a thumbs up as the tournament announcer rushes to the side of the stage, his black suit stained cream with dust and sand.

'A-And the winner is Son Goku!' he exclaims with a mixture of elation and relief.

What little remains of the crowd explodes in cheer and his friends rush to embrace him, crying and laughing with relief. He smiles and pats their backs, looking upwards at the sky with a proud head, as if expecting affirmation from the heavens of his victory.

* * *

'So, you've finally won a tournament of your own, how does it feel?'

Kakarot smiles at his friend, tying his blue belt around his waist with a tight tug. At the age of eighteen he has grown to be the same height as Tien Shinhan, who previously towered over the young Saiyan. He lifts the tournament belt with a single hand, staring at the solid gold icon in the middle. He grins as he tosses the belt down on the bench.

'I don't think anything has really changed. This was just a show put on by Piccolo. If not for the crowd and you guys I would have had him much earlier.'

Tien crosses his arms, his two human eyes narrowing slightly. His third eye remains as impassive as ever, and as always the dichotomy of his facial features unnerves Kakarot to no end.

'You shouldn't have held back' he says in an accusing tone, and the young Saiyan looks at him with a curious face as he lifts his sack over his shoulder. 'With me.'

Kakarot looks at him impassively for a moment, before he sighs and looks away, nodding once. His shoulders drop and he seems at a loss for words for a moment before he looks up at his friend.

'You're right. I'm sorry' he finally apologizes without an excuse, adjusting the travel sack as he takes a few steps towards the exit of the locker room. 'It won't happen again.'

'Good' Tien says as he follows him. They emerge on the tournament grounds, after what remained of the crowd has dispersed or been removed. Officials and soldiers look around nervously, some of them point at them, and one even makes to approach the duo before his step falters. 'They won't leave you alone. What you've done here is known all over the world and many people will have questions. I don't envy you.'

'They can keep their questions, I have no use for their fear or their praise' he answers as they take one last step before rising into the air slowly, earning a few more gaping stares in the process. They fly slowly outside of the tournament grounds, where a large and expensive hover car is waiting for them.

A blue haired woman sits in the driver's seat, eagerly waving at them with her feet resting on the dashboard. She sits up straight as they land next to the car.

'There you are! We're going to have to change our plans' she says with a scowl, looking at Kakarot with her hands on her hips.

'What? Why?' Kakarot asks, looking at the old Master, the young woman and the pig sitting on the back seat, all of them with an indignant expression on their faces.

'Because you just saved the world, mister and every newscaster this side of the west city is rushing towards the tournament arena and I guarantee we will not be able to have a meal in peace when they get here, nice going!' she mock slaps the side of his head, only ruffling his hair. Kakarot grins as he drops his bag on the backseat and jumps on the car.

'Not my fault Piccolo wanted an audience!' he defends himself, raising a hand for Oolong, Launch and Master Roshi to slap his open palm with wide grins.

'Yeah well, next time you might want to not end it on such a flashy note, don't think I didn't notice you showing off, young man!' Roshi admonishes him with a light chuckle.

There is a brief ripple as the engine of the hover car kicks into ignition. They all turn to look at Tien, quietly inviting him to get in. With a smile he shakes his head and rises into the air again, looking at the group for a moment before he turns to Kakarot.

'Goku, nobody faults you for killing him, but we all have to live with the consequences. Now more than ever we must train harder than we ever have. Next time somebody dies... well, let's make sure nobody else dies.'

Kakarot nods and he closes his fist, presenting it to his friend, who presses his own against his knuckles.

'Nobody else is dying, Tien. Trust me.'

His friend looks somber for a moment before he lets out a breath and breaks off, taking flight without a look back. His green silhouette is visible for a long time in the clear sky as Bulma drives away, her long blue hair fluttering in the open cockpit. The group is silent for a while, giving Kakarot some privacy with his thoughts.

'S-so' Bulma speaks, making him blink and turn to face her. She half turns to look at him, keeping one eye on the road. 'Is it true what Tien said? The dragon balls are gone? Forever?'

Kakarot nods and clasps his hands, leaning forwards.

'Yes. Kami knew it. He and Piccolo are one and the same, there was no way of saving him while sparing Piccolo. It's for the best' he explains as he closes his eyes. 'The dragon balls did little more than spread greed and selfishness, and for the wishes that matter they didn't even have enough power. We will be much better off without them' he states without a doubt, reaching back into his sack. He opens it and reaches in, rummaging through his clothes before pulling out a solid ball of rock. What had once been the object of desire for countless men and women all over the globe was now nothing more than a perfectly smooth, white orb. No trace of the crystal it had once been when embedded with power remained. With a soft smile Kakarot holds the former dragon ball over the side of the hover car and crushes it in his fist, letting the sand flow through his fingers and mix with the ground. 'We have bested everything this world has thrown at us and I know we will continue to do so' he states confidently before a grumble is heard and he holds his side with an apologetic face. 'But for now let's just find a restaurant, I'm starving!'

The group lets out a laugh as Bulma picks up speed and blasts through the desert, her hover car leaving a whipping trail of sand behind them.

* * *

It must be so strange, Fasha thinks as she weaves through one of the hundreds of marketplaces on Planet Frieza 448, to live your life as a non combatant. Beneath the thick cowl of her brown cloak she peers at the merchants scurrying with their wares, keeping a close eye on the soldiers guarding the plaza. She doubts that they are truly doing anything other than frightening the locals and ensuring no rebellions spring up. She goes from stall to stall, purchasing goods she has no intention of using with the credits she took from the now dead merchant lying inside the dumpster on the alley.

It is strange to her because the idea of somebody simply arriving into her life and trying to kill her without her fighting back is an alien concept, because the idea of begging for mercy is so pathetic that it visibly sickens her, because being subservient to the whims of others drives a red hot shard of anger into her chest. Not that she isn't afraid of death or that she thinks everybody should strive to be the most powerful, but living your life and relying on concepts such as civility or law to keep you safe from others seems to be nothing more than an invitation for disaster.

She moves closer to one of the guards. He is cocky and arrogant, occasionally taunting one of the youths that is helping the merchants or acting like he owns the place.

With a swift turn she walks past him towards the nearby alley, almost brushing past him as she rushes past.

'Ugly coward' she whispers just loud enough for him to hear her. His purple skin visibly darkens as he turns around, following her billowing cloak as she turns into the alley and away from prying eyes. The alien croaks angrily into his scouter before following her, his hand already on his blaster menacingly.

Before he can so much as get a squeak out Fasha has already jumped him, dropping the basket and grabbing him by the throat, pulling him back against the wall before turning him around, holding him in a headlock as she jumps and wraps her legs around him, squeezing tightly.

'Not a sound, or I'll snap your neck before you can even squeal to your pathetic friends' she warns him before releasing the grip on his neck slightly enough for him to breathe and wheeze out his words. 'And don't even attempt to threaten me, I can kill everybody that Frieza left on this backwater and be gone before word even reaches him.'

'Y-you're insane! You'll never get away with this, I'm too import-'

Fasha cuts him off by tightening her arm around his neck again, pulling him down to the ground as she chokes him.

'First and last warning. You will answer my questions and if I like your answers I might let you walk away to pretend you can fight another day' she threatens him as her legs tighten around his midriff. He lets out a croak and nods eagerly. 'Good boy, now first question. What do you know about planet Vegeta?'

* * *

'You're still doing it.'

'Huh?'

'Looking ahead, focused on something else. It's like everything else that is happening to you is nothing more than an obstacle to what you really want.'

'Is that the impression I give?'

'Don't shrug this off! Tell me! We never talk about these things.'

'That's because there's not much to talk about. I was born to fight. It's what I do. There's nothing more to it. You're reading too much between the lines.'

'I think you're lying.'

'You're welcome to think whatever you want.'

'Damn it Goku, don't treat me like that. There's no way you have been pushing yourself as hard as you have without a good reason.'

'You're overthinking this. Power is a good reason. Strength to protect you all and make sure nobody takes what is mine.'

'There's something behind that isn't there? Something related to that... Fasha?'

'... How do you know that name?'

'You talk in your sleep.'

'...'

'Did she take something of yours?'

'No. Stop prodding. It's not your concern and it would get you mixed up in dangerous stuff.'

'What is it? What is bothering you?'

'My problems are that. My own. We have separate futures. Content yourself with yours and let me face mine.'

'Ugh, I swear Goku, sometimes your single mindedness is infuriating. I'm only trying to help and you're just- why are you smiling?'

'It's fun to mess with you. You're fiery.'

'... I'm serious'

'So am I.'

'No, you're diverting my attention by trying to drag me into a pointless argument until I get exhausted and you get to laugh at another victory. Not everything is about winning, Goku.'

'Everything is about winning. History only remembers the victors. Only those that win get to chose to change the world for the better or the worse.'

'That's a very simplistic way of thinking.'

'I told you, you're overthinking this.'

'According to you I overthink everything.'

'That's because you do.'

'And you don't think enough.'

'I think about defeating my enemies, not senseless things. You're wasting your incredible intellect with trivialities.'

'That's the closest to a compliment you've ever given me.'

'It wasn't.'

'You haven't answered my question.'

'What's there to answer?'

'Something is bothering you. Something is always bothering you. I've been around you long enough to know by now. Even when we first met, with the Red Ribbon army, with King Piccolo, with the tournament. There's always something and it wasn't until Krillin-'

'I get it, Bulma... It's not easy to explain.'

'Nothing with you ever is, but here I am.'

'You know I'm not human. I'm a saiyan.'

'I know.'

'I arrived on this planet as a baby... with Fasha.'

'...'

'She's...'

'Your mother?'

'No.'

'Family?'

'This is stupid, you wouldn't understand.'

'Try me! You're always so damn busy trying to become stronger and taking more burdens unto yourself that you don't dare to think we can take some too!'

'...'

'We're not weaklings and I'm not stupid Goku. Explain.'

'My father led a crew of warriors that traveled the cosmos finding valuable planets to exterminate the population and then sell for profit, under the orders of a monster called Frieza. He controls the vast majority of the universe last I was told. One day Frieza decided he had had enough of the saiyans and he had a strike team strike at my father's team, and then destroyed my home planet. Because he was scared they were getting too strong.'

'Ah-'

'Fasha survived because of my father. She was sent here and according to her my pod followed hers an hour or so after she arrived. My father, my mother, my brother and my entire race was exterminated. I have nothing but my tail to remind me that I'm one of them. Fasha left 9 years ago to find out more information, and look for survivors. I don't know when she will be back. I don't know if she ever will be back. And if she doesn't return I have to find Frieza. And I have to kill him for what he did to my people.'

'I...'

'Told you you wouldn't get it.'

'T-that's not it! I just... it's a lot to take in at once.'

'Tell me about it... It's been 18 years and I'm still trying to wrap my head around it.'

* * *

_Author's Note:_

_And here's chapter two! Significantly shorter wait time than for chapter one thankfully. This one started to flow much differently. I originally wanted to depict the entire Dragon Ball saga with all the changes Goku's knowledge of his saiyan heritage would convey, but it ended up being a crash course of some key moments in Kakarot's growth. The story would have strayed far too much from Fasha otherwise. Why do his friends call him Goku? What happened with Krillin? Where is Yamcha? Where's Chiaotzu? What wish did Kakarot asked for? Exactly what went down with King Piccolo? Well, these are small secrets that will affect Kakarot's character, and with time they might get revealed but I've always found speculation to surpass anything I could ever come up with._

_The final conversation between Goku and Bulma was originally supposed to be between Goku and Master Roshi, but nobody else in the entire Dragon Ball universe has as much history with Goku than Bulma, and I figured the honour of knowing his greatest secret should go to her._

_I'd say the song that inspired this chapter the most was Dangerous by Royal Deluxe. It's not a bad, if somewhat generic modern rock song. Give it a listen!_

_Until next time, I'll be seeing you!_


	3. Like a True Saiyan (Chapter 3)

The communications tower is nothing short of an inferno. Explosions rock the upper levels and bring down tons of masonry and shards of glass the size of hover cars that shatter into powdered dust. Pink energy blasts smash against the tower with brutal impacts. The screams of the dying are cut short as Fasha smashes into the last of the armoured bunkers with all the subtlety of a wrecking ball.

The saiyan warrior demolishes the reinforced wall with her shoulder like it was made of wet tissue. Several surprised and terrified faces turn to face her before, with a scream of effort, she thrusts her hand forwards and fires hundreds of small pink blasts that travel like neon party beams. The comparison ends there however, as each detonates in a miniature explosion that shatters computer equipment and renders flesh alike.

A team of three soldiers batter towards her with brute force and attack her with enough speed to make her duck and weave out of the way, her concentration broken by the numerous limbs trying to knock her towards one of the corners where their number will allow them to pin her down. She smirks at their strategy. A cowards technique, but effective.

With little room to maneuver, Fasha has no choice but to allow one of the soldiers to strike at her exposed flank as she reaches forwards with her hand and fires an energy blast at point blank distance from one of her assailants. A pink flash engulfs the entire room and blinds them all for a second as she utterly ends the alien fighting her.

His compatriot smashes into her with as much strength as he can muster, but despite his size and bulk he is unable to shatter her armour. The impact sends her careening out of the way, but in an instant she has spun around and lands with her feet against the wall before kicking off with twice the momentum she was sent back.

It happens in an instant. One moment there are two, and then there is only one and a massive crack on the side of the armoured bunker is the only evidence that there ever was another combatant.

Before his friend can recover she kicks at his shins and makes him fall, before twisting in midair and ramming her elbow directly on his neck, shattering the brittle bone.

A gust of air from the outside flushes inside and floods the room, making her hair flutter gently as she lets out a breath, holding her side in pain. With a slight stumble she walks towards the one surviving computer, it's reinforced armour scorched and bented from her assault.

She gingerly presses a couple of buttons, figuring out the alien layout. Slowly but surely, Fasha manages to access the central command controls and ensure her transmission is heard all through the planet. She bites her lip in anticipation before activating the microphone. The guards knew nothing. Nothing of planet Vegeta and of Frieza's true nature. They cared even less when they found out the truth. Her race is gone and nobody knows about them, nobody remembers them. Frieza had not even left a token of their passing behind him.

With measured pace Fasha turns on the microphone and brings the device to her lips, moving to view the central plaza from the reinforced viewing glass. Her words are slightly hesitant at first, unsure, but as she speaks she feels the truth of her words and she knows that she is right.

'We are the ones that have died in silence. We are the first that dared to look him in the eye. We are the ones that now stand against Frieza and his wretched empire. We are the ones that lived in fear everyday. We are the ones that were taught to bow and fetch like dogs. We are the first to rise. We are the free. We are the ones that will fight and die for our dreams. For our friends and families. For our race. For our planet. We are the ones that will not stop until Frieza lies dead at our feet! We are the ones that will show Frieza the errors of his ways! We are the ones that will carry on the legacy of planet Vegeta and will carve our names into the stars! We are the ones that are not going to take it anymore! We are the saiyans! And starting here, on Frieza Planet 17 we mark our defiance! Starting here on this world that he cannot bring himself to destroy I bid you to join me and rise up! Do not let this tyrant terrify you to submission. Do not let his soldiers deprive you of your dignity and your honour! Do not ignore the signs until it is too late! Do not allow yourself to fade into oblivion! Do not bow to this creature that is not worthy of your respect! Rise with us and learn the truth that we all deserve the same right to grow in strength and honour together! That our only foes are oppression and greed! People of planet Frieza 17, shed the shackles and recover your name! Recover your pride and your freedom! Recover your honour and your strength! I beg of you, do not lower yourself to be the craven servants of this despot that wants nothing more than to grow fat on your efforts before discarding you like trash... We did once... We bowed and served and bled and gave everything for a madman that wanted nothing more than our destruction. Do not repeat our mistakes.'

She drops the microphone on the ground before blasting the communication equipment, leaving the smoking ruins by crashing her way out of the viewing glass, firing dozens of energy blasts into the air to mark her passage, flying over the frozen population centers and the mountaintops so obscured by the snow and ice that her light was just specks of defiance underneath the wrath of nature.

Their cheers reach her even amidst the frozen tundra. Their strength and their reinvigorated will pushes her ever onwards like a rocket, soaring all over the continent to ensure every part of the landmass can see at least a glimpse of her.

'We're free Frieza, and you will never chain us again' she whispers before returning to her space pod, her steely violet eyes narrowed with laser focus as she activates the communicator on her vehicle.

* * *

'Yes, just like that! Again!' his father's voice encourages him and threatens him in equal measure. His small fists relax for a moment before he strikes again. There is nothing complex about his style, nothing fancy or flashy or stylish, he pummels and pummels and pummels until whatever is in front of him dies.

Sweat pours from his small frame from the heat, the sun baking his skin a dark tan that covers most of his body. Nothing except his torn leggings protect him from the elements, but he has grown in one of the most inhospitable planets in the galaxy, his entire life has been nothing but fighting to get by one more day, he doesn't need much protection anymore.

Paragus tells him about the saiyan race, about planet Vegeta and the cursed king that put them in this hell. His father tells him about hell as well. The place were they're going to send king Vegeta once they get out.

There is something terrifying about his father when he speaks of the king. Broly feels that one misstep during those moments will make his father angry, and when he is angry he lashes out. He doesn't fear his punches anymore, but he fears his rage and the collar around his neck.

He shakes his head and sends some of his thick, wild hair behind his shoulders before he punches again, utterly destroying yet another imaginary enemy. If this was all it took to get his father's revenge he would have been finished with it a long time ago.

They continue for an hour, and during this time Broly rarely speaks. He has stopped asking questions a long time ago. There is precious little to question about his training. He mimics his father as they fire energy blasts together towards the hordes of animals that threaten their camp, clearing the arid fields with few problems. Every now and then a particularly large and vicious one of them will jump and try to attack them, but they no longer pose too much of a threat for him, he can kick them away faster than they can bite down.

He does everything his father asks of him without complaint, waiting for the time he can sneak away from his watch.

The sun beats down even harder by the time they return to their camp, floating high in the air. At the time even the animals hide from the intense heat, to leave during this time means death.

It is during this time that Paragus sleeps, the nights are too valuable for hunting, and during the early day they train and protect their home.

'We still have enough food for today' Paragus mutters as he drops the torn carcass of one of the creatures between them and takes a leg, ripping it off easily before handing it to Broly. He mutters a small thanks before digging in, tearing into the bland meat with his teeth as he uses his fingers to crack the thick shell from the inside, revealing more of the viscous muscle. It's tough and hard to chew and it doesn't particularly taste of anything. Paragus says it tastes disgusting, but Broly doesn't know what the word means.

They eat in silence for a time, before his father lets out a sigh.

'I'm tired today' he wipes his brow and wipes his beard with the back of a gloved hand. 'We can sleep for longer today, we still have a few legs for nighttime.'

'I can keep a lookout, I'm not tired' Broly offers, and finds that it's true. As he grows taller and larger the same chores that took him longer become less taxing and training with his father becomes easier, even predictable at times.

Paragus nods and lets out another sigh before he stands up.

'Very well' he presses a button on the machine on his wrist a few times and sets a timer. 'Don't dawdle too far if you're checking outside, at this time it's too dangerous' he orders him before turning around and leaving. Broly thinks it's only dangerous for him, but he doesn't say anything.

He waits near the entrance to the cave, actually flying around slowly before settling down on one of the ledges, his eyes wandering to the horizon. He can see the herds moving further away from here. One of Ba's friends must have moved further west. That will save them time during the mornings, with the smaller creatures further away from their home they won't be as curious about the two small saiyans and what their flesh might taste like.

He waits until the sun has passed its apex before he turns his head towards the camp, listening carefully. After a moment of confirmation he smiles and walks towards the edge of the cave slowly. He can still say he was checking nearby and not get in trouble, and he always likes to stay there for a few more minutes just to make sure his father is asleep.

After the only sound for several long minutes is the dry, howling desert wind grinding down the rock around them, Broly smiles and exits the cave, gently rising into the sky and turning south. He flies quietly for several minutes, until he's certain he's far enough away from the cave that he can speed up.

The journey used to take the young boy almost an hour, although he was unable to really measure the concept properly. It takes him only minutes now, his body encased in a glowing white fire that explodes from within. It no longer drains him as much as it used to. He's no longer as tired when he comes back. His small legs and arms don't burn nearly as bad as they did and there's hardly any sweat on him as he finally lands on the large crater. The sun is not as bad here, the wind flows gentler, he can see why Ba likes living here.

'Ba! Ba!' he cries as he walks down the crater, stepping unto his friend's body softly. He doesn't weight much. He lets out a chuckle as his green fur contracts and expands, and Ba's head emerges from the center, growing and slithering in a wide arc around the crater, before he nuzzles his nose against Broly's chest, sniffing and letting out a content growl as he recognizes him.

Broly smiles and rubs his nose with his, before jumping up on Ba's head, tapping him between the eyes to let him know that he wants to play. The animal growls again and opens his mouth, revealing teeth longer than the saiyan boy. Broly laughs as Ba rushes forwards and bites at him, letting him sway and flip and twist between him.

The exercise keeps Ba healthy and strong, and Broly enjoys playing with his friend. Much like the small round beetles, he and his friend help each other survive on this hellscape.

The young saiyan isn't even conscious of how much Ba helps him, but looking forward to playing with his friend helps him get through the dull chores much faster and makes the entire day less of a hassle. He knows his father doesn't like him wasting time, but he doesn't understand why. He's not tired and nothing is going to attack them anymore, they have done a good job of clearing the nearby area of any remaining hostiles.

Broly sometimes thinks his father doesn't like seeing him smile. Maybe it's because Paragus thinks that he can't smile until Vegeta is dead, or until they escape from this place. Broly doesn't mind smiling. There are fun places here on this planet, and he doesn't understand how Vegeta can make his father angry from so far away.

His hair gets caught on the collar and he grunts in surprise, reaching out with his hand to pull out the messy clump of hair before flattening it again.

Ba doesn't realize that Broly wasn't paying attention, and his snout hits the boy hard, sending him crashing down against his body. His next move almost crushes Broly, if not for the young saiyan rolling out of the way and jumping upwards. He angrily rubs the back of his head here Ba hit him, but before he can tell him to be careful he calms himself down and pulls back. It's his fault. They were playing and he didn't let him know he wanted to stop playing. With a deep breath he swoops down and taps his friend between the eyes again, this time rubbing his small hand between them to soothe him and let him know it's time to rest.

The two of them settle near the edge of the crater, hidden partially from the sun as they close their eyes.

Broly rubs Ba's ear playfully and his fuzzy hair prickles his skin with a funny sensation that makes him smile again. He knows that he should be returning, but he's faster now and he can stay a bit longer with his friend. He doesn't notice the soft steps coming towards him, and he doesn't notice the shadow that is cast over both of them until he opens his eyes several moments later. He looks up with a start, his large, black eyes wide with fear and surprise.

'Father?'

* * *

Kakarot sets down the piles of wood with a grunt, setting them against the rest of the construction materials. Several containers of steel, glass and the same metallic compound Bulma developed from his attack ball are scattered around his work area.

He is shirtless, wearing only a pair of shorts and thick work boots to allow him the freedom of movement he is going to need. He rolls his shoulders as he opens up one of the containers and pulls out several steel beams, easily carrying them over his shoulder.

The ground is no longer littered with debris. There is no longer a smashed carcass in the middle of the destroyed house. It has all been cleared away, and the last thing he needs to do is rebuild the house exactly as he remembers it.

Just the way Gohan left it.

His breath is even as he works underneath the punishing sun of Mount Paozu. The work is simple, but it's not the difficulty that matters.

He holds a large log of wood in one hand and a measuring tape on the other, double checking his measurements before he slices the log in half with a quick chop of his hand, cutting it down with almost machine-like precision.

He works in utter silence, even setting down the foundations of the house with gentle, measured hammer strikes.

The sounds of his work flow intertwined with the gentle rush of the river and the chirping of birds building their nests. He has chosen well, there is no rain on the horizon and there doesn't look like there will be anytime soon. He will have ample time to finish and make this right. He wonders if it was similar, when Gohan built his home here. Perhaps he had help, perhaps he built it by himself. He'll never know now.

He is working on a ceiling tile when he hears the sound. So out of place in this quiet moment that for an instant he considers ignoring it, but he knows how this works. She knows what he's doing and she wouldn't disturb him for something that was not important. Even so Kakarot finishes molding the ceiling tile and holds it above the fire, cooking the materials to ensure it holds its shape.

Satisfied, he sets down the red ceramic tile on the floor before walking to his pack, where his communicator is beeping non stop. He picks up the round metallic device and presses a button on the side. A screen pops up and reveals a very upset Bulma.

'What is it?'

'Would it kill you to pick up when I'm calling you?' Bulma screams at him. She cut her hair short. To look professional, she says. He doesn't like it short.

'I'm busy.'

'I know, but I thought you'd want to know that your pod just received a message' she says and Kakarot's eyes go wide. 'I can't identify who sent it but here's the message, maybe you know her?'

Bulma presses a button on her computer and Fasha's voice plays through the speaks, like a ghost of the past reminding him of what he was born to do, of what is waiting for him no matter how long he hides on this planet.

'Be ready, things are moving faster than I expected. I'm coming back.'

Bulma looks at him for a moment, playing the message again and Goku now feels a cold bead of sweat flow down his back as he looks at the half finished house.

'What does that mean? Do you recognize that voice?'

'I'm on my way' he says before shutting off his communicator. His gaze lands on the shell of the home he thought of rebuilding just a few hours ago when he thought he was on top of the world and could devote his time to whatever he wished. His mood is darkened as he repeats her message in his head.

'Faster than I expected' he mutters as he reaches for his shirt, slipping it on carelessly and letting it ruffle and flow down his body before reaching for his pack and blasting off. The small cooking fire he had prepared is snuffed out by the intensity of his takeoff and tools are scattered all over as he heads off to Capsule Corp. 'Damn it all!'

* * *

Kakarot arrives with a loud crack and a swoosh of displaced air. He lands in front of Capsule Corp, ignoring the awed stares and cries of his terran name as he walks through the entrance. Tien had been right, the people have questions, questions Kakarot has neither the time nor the patience to answer, and their adoration has started to chafe against him. He doesn't resent them for it, but it is exhausting to even try to train in plain sight of regular humans.

Bulma greets him from the inside, her teeth chewing hard on a cigarette butt before she spits it out and goes to greet him. Kakarot has not kept his voice quiet regarding the habit, but it seems to ironically only make her want it more.

'Has anything else been sent?' he asks as he walks into capsule corp, walking to where his pod is kept, a hand on Bulma's shoulder to ensure they are not disturbed by any employees or assistants trying to resolve one of their many petty issues.

'Nothing as of now, but there's a system message that I don't understand, it seems to be a proximity alert? I can't really make heads or tails out of it, but it began only a few minutes ago, take a look.'

The computer screen she shows him makes little sense to him, but he slowly tries to unravel the messages the computer sent. Bulma created a translation program that allowed her machines to interface with the pod, but it still has several issues, such as not being able to translate the exact meaning of the pod's messages, only rough approximations and interface with the communication system allowing audio files to be played.

When Kakarot eyes his former pod he blinks in surprise. The naked machine looks gutted, it's mechanical intestines spill all over the floor and multiple machines are forcefully hardwired into it. Without its armour plating it looks much smaller, and he is momentarily taken aback at the size. Was he ever that small?

'So it's not pinpointing a location using our actual coordinates? Planetside?'

'Exactly, it updates every few minutes, but I'm still working on figuring out what algorithm it uses to track movement in space. I think it's calibrated to your original planet or your solar system, which makes this incredibly complicated to track.'

'You'll figure it out' he mutters as he crosses his arms over his chest, staring pensively at the machine. 'That was Fasha.'

Bulma looks up at him with surprise.

'The message?'

He nods.

'Things are going to get very dangerous very soon' he lets out a breath and runs a hand through his hair, momentarily flattening it before it spikes back up. 'Have you finished my armour?'

She gives him a smug grin as she hands him a capsule box.

'Whenever you might need it, have fun' she winks before she turns serious. 'Is this something we're going to need Tien Shinhan for?'

'He'll figure out something's wrong soon enough' he mutters as he takes the box with a nod of gratitude. 'He'll be there when the time's right, I'm sure.'

Bulma's about to speak when the pod beeps again and she looks at her computer.

'O-oh... these coordinates are not that far off, I think!' she frowns as she works for a few moments. 'If... If this is right then whatever is causing this signal is almost here. I can't be certain.'

Kakarot turns on his heels and sprints out of the room, rushing towards his quarters. Most people already know to move aside when he's busy and the few that can't he helps aside with a gentle shove of his shoulder that merely pushes them against the walls rather than through them.

His room is spartan, with a large bed and a single cabinet to keep his possessions. A small bathroom is the only adjacent construction to his room, and the only place to actually have a window. Bright white lumen strips turn on as he enters, travelling around the edges of the walls and ensuring there are no shadows in the modest space.

He removes his shirt and tosses it unto the bed before doing the same with his shorts. With a flick of his wrist he tosses the capsule after activating it, and with a small puff of smoke the container for his armour pops up into existence. Kakarot leaves it there as he steps into the bathroom, activating the shower head with a single button press. Warm water splashes against his face and he closes his eyes, giving himself a minute to prepare as he bathes. He's unsure of who's arriving, but the possibilities are small. Either Fasha arrived much faster than her message suggested, or Frieza has sent somebody to scout the planet. Neither options bode particularly well for the Earth.

He wraps himself in a white towel as he emerges from the bathroom, letting out a deep breath as he kneels in front of the chest. He presses the keycode Bulma gave him and it opens up with a hiss, the sealed container pressurizing momentarily before giving him access to his armour.

His old armour doesn't fit him anymore and its been torn apart to have Bulma and her people study it. She tells him that their products have evolved leaps beyond what anybody else could have ever expected thanks to him. Then she starts talking about money and stocks and acquiring other companies and he loses interest.

His new armour is white and gold, with broad shoulder straps that give him even more mobility than before. It's lighter than the previous one, despite the larger size and while he hasn't had time to test it, he believes her when she told him it would stand up to anything.

He smirks with fatalism as he slips into the blue bodysuit. He's going to need every advantage he can get. His arms and legs are left much more exposed, with only small thigh and arm guards ensuring he gets a modicum of protection to his limbs.

He looks down once he slips into the white boots and gloves, craning his neck to see himself from different angles. From what Fasha told him and from what he can imagine, he must look like a true saiyan, ready for battle. There is a small warm blooming of pride on his chest. If this is to be his final battle he will face it in a way that would make his people proud.

His face turns into a frown as he reaches into the chest for the last item there, a small brown bag tied with a string. His last 3 senzu beans remain perfectly preserved and he slips them inside his armour's inner breast pocket. He turns to look at the door as it slides open, revealing a flustered Bulma as she enters his room. She looks like she ran all the way from the lab.

'W-what's going on? Who do you think is coming?'

'No idea, but whoever has found this place it's not good news. Stay here, and if I don't come back by tonight don't come looking for me. If I can't stop whoever has arrived your best bet is staying quiet and hiding all of your research on my gear. Don't let them figure out what you have been working on. It'd immediately mark you as a person of interest. When Frieza is involved you do not want to be a person of interest.'

Bulma gulps and nods, her face clearly unsettled by Kakarot's words.

'I'll tell Dad to send everybody home and lock this place down. If it's as bad as you say I don't want employees here' she says before taking a deep breath. 'T-there's no way you can lose' she half states, half asks, looking at him intensely.

Kakarot has seen that look before. It's a mixture of desperation and confusion, the look a person with no straws to grasp has when they try to find a single thing to focus on and not drown in their own despair. He gives her a thumbs up and smiles, pushing his own trepidation down.

'You said it yourself, I'm the strongest in the planet. If they came looking for me that's exactly who they'll get.'

* * *

_Author's note:_

_And we reach the end of this chapter! I think I'm settling into the new rhythm comfortably, inspiration is coming much easier this time. It helps a lot that the Saiyan Saga is my absolute favourite saga of them all and I want to do this right!_

_Let me know what you guys think, what you're liking, what you're not, etc. No idea how often I'll sit down to write since work is picking up a bit more now but there's plenty of ground to cover still!_

_Fasha seems to be doing plenty of thinking in this chapter! Some of you might recognize Frieza Planet 17 as the one that had the revolt in Resurrection F, and that Sorbet abandoned due to lack of forces to take it back. I'd like to think the seed of their revolution is planted here, with Fasha loudly proclaiming the survival of the saiyans to Frieza's face._

_That's all from me for now, hope you guys enjoy!_


	4. Inevitable (Chapter 4)

Like the previous two landings, the space pod crashes against the plains with an earth shattering impact that completely demolishes its surroundings. Unlike the previous two, this one doesn't go unnoticed, and a small, ramshackle vehicle slowly makes its way towards the smoking impact crater.

The attack ball beeps as its door opens, and a large, powerful hand grasps the side of the pod. A tall, imposing figure emerges from the dark inside with a soft breath. His long spiky black hair travels all the way down to his knees. Encased in battle armour, every inch of his physique speaks of a grueling life of constant battle with multiple scars covering his exposed legs.

He jumps upwards and lands on the side of the crater, noticing for the first time the trembling, whimpering figure next to him with a curious look, before his eyes narrow in disappointment.

'Curse that Kakarot, he left some of them alive, hasn't he?' he mutters to himself as his scouter runs a quick check on the human, grinning at the pathetic return. 'Couldn't even be bothered to kill these insects. Luckily I'm here to finish the job for you, little brother' he laughs.

'S-stop! Who are you?' the figure screams, raising a weapon at him. Raditz raises an eyebrow in surprise as he takes a step closer to the creature. Humans, he recalls at the last moment. 'S-stay away! I'm warning you! I'll shoot!'

Before Raditz can even retort the man pulls the trigger on his crude weapon, and with a kick, the weapon fires a solid projectile that travels faster than most people can see. A projectile that Raditz grabs easily before it collides with his face. He looks at the object with curiosity, strong enough to actually make his palm tingle, but no more annoying that sand on his eyes. He grins as he flicks the bullet back at the man, hitting him straight in the head and killing him instantly.

'That's a courtesy for holding your ground, little human' he laughs before he rises unto the air and begins scanning the nearby area. No more life forms return for a full minute, before he boosts the range further. 'A life form of six hundred. In this planet of weaklings that certainly must be Kakarot!'

Without a preamble, Raditz leaves his first victim behind as he blasts off with all haste towards his brother.

* * *

Kakarot stands in the middle of a barren plains, taking a slow and measured look around him. The path between West city and North city is rarely traveled on land anymore. Most inhabitants travel the long distances by plane or on hover cars, and there is little need to maintain roads anymore. He looks up with expectation as he senses the power getting closer and closer. He was right to choose this location, they know where he is and he wouldn't want anybody else getting hurt if this turns out to be violent. A tingling sensation down his spine tells him that it indeed will.

He closes his eyes and takes stock of the situation, the weight of his armour, the gentle breeze flowing through the soon to be battlefield, the gentle sun slowly making its way towards the horizon. He lets out a deep breath as he calms his body, forcing it to listen to his commands and not the other way around. Every inch of his body is his to control, and he methodically flexes and relaxes his muscle groups, stretching and preparing for the upcoming confrontation.

He stands with his eyes closed, his fists at his side, his stance wide to provide stability. When he opens his eyes a figure is standing next to him, arms crossed over his barrel chest, staring at him with eyes that are trying and failing to hide their surprise.

'All grown up aren't you? But I'd recognize you anywhere, Kakarot' he whispers with a confident grin.

'It's been quite a while since I've been called that. It's good to hear somebody else speak my name again' he retorts, searching the stranger's face for any type of response. There is a small tensing of his facial muscles on his right side that he quickly turns into a smug grin that speaks volumes. Kakarot's eyes narrow.

'Has something on this planet distracted you, Kakarot? Your duty was to exterminate this species and get this planet ready! What game are you playing at?'

Kakarot cranes his neck and grins. He has played this conversation a thousand times. No, a hundred thousand times on his head, wondering what he would say, wondering who he would meet, wondering what circumstances would lead to the best possible outcome. He chooses his words carefully.

'I've had more important things on my plate ever since I landed on this planet than bothering about finishing off this vermin. I'll not waste my strength doing such thankless tasks.'

'Thankless' the stranger repeats with less hostility that Kakarot expected, but the facade quickly returns. 'Look at my little brother, all high and mighty! Too much of a proud warrior to sully his hands with real work, is that it?'

Kakarot grins as he takes in his words.

'Raditz, then' he says as he lowers his guard momentarily. Of all people, of all the possibilities over who it could be, it never occurred to him that it would be his older brother that would arrive to visit him. 'I'm surprised you took time off your busy schedule to come pay a visit to your baby brother' he speaks with the same smug grin. Now the contest begins. 'Why do you care what I'm up to here?'

'Have you already forgotten why you were sent here? Was the pod defective?'

'Like I mentioned, I've been busy, haven't really gotten around to it just yet. Why are you here, Raditz?'

Raditz sneers at him and scoffs before answering, clearly unsatisfied with his words.

'I've come to pick you up. We need you back.'

Kakarot's eyes widen in surprise. He had not expected more saiyans to be involved.

'And who exactly is we?'

'None other than Prince Vegeta requires our aid little brother. There's a particularly nifty planet that will fetch us a pretty hefty price, but for all of our might, there's only 3 of us, and we can't take over it without some assistance. Lo and behold, I remembered my little brother, sent to a backwater world. A world that you've failed to conquer after 20 years, but no matter, despite your failure you're still a saiyan, even with your lack of experience you can tip the scales in our favour.'

'Prince Vegeta, that's a tall order' he narrows his eyes. 'And why exactly should I help you? I have a pretty good life here, and I have other projects going on, I don't see how selling a planet will help me out.'

'Don't play cute, Kakarot. Frieza will eventually find this planet and if he realizes you've been here for such a long time without making any actual progress he is going to kill you as an example for us.'

And now Kakarot closes his eyes with a sigh of disappointment. His guard returns and before Raditz can reply he fires an energy blast at his brother with a scream, one meant only to surprise him before there is a second one he fires from a single finger, with much more pinpoint accuracy.

Raditz raises his arm and blocks the first one, but the smoke of the impact blinds him for enough time for Kakarot's second beam to connect, and his scouter explodes. He closes his eyes and grunts in annoyance before he feels Kakarot's elbow connecting with the palm of his outstretched hand and he brings up his leg to block up his followup strike.  
The two brothers clash like meteors, trading blows as they get the measure of each other. Kakarot has a fierce look in his eyes while Raditz tries to regain his footing, his confusion evident on his face.

'Don't tell me you've gotten so enamored with this planet that you're willing to die for it, little brother!' Raditz taunts him as he gets pushed back. Now that the fight is in the air he seems to have the advantage. His body is used to much higher gravity, and his speed now allows him to twist and dodge and weave between Kakarot's attacks, but it's clear his brother is not putting everything into the fight just yet. 'Or have you just been missing me so much you can't hold back anymore?' he laughs.

Kakarot grins as he throws a jab that gets deflected by Raditz, and using the momentum he twists his body, kicking Raditz on his side. To his surprise, his brother's leg is already up and the impact bounces off a solid wall of pure muscle that has no weak points. Raditz punches forwards and forces Kakarot on the defensive, his expertise on aerial combat clearly making the fight more confusing for the younger saiyan.

'Why don't you just go back to planet Vegeta and leave me alone?' he asks as he dodges Raditz' knee strike and uppercuts him in the chest, pushing the warrior upwards in surprise. Raditz laughs as he rises into the air and looks down at his brother.

'Right, you wouldn't know about this, but planet Vegeta is long gone. A meteor collided with it twenty years ago. You were one of the few that even made it out of there before it exploded. There's no more than four saiyans left, little brother. You, the prince, Nappa, and yours truly.'

Kakarot stops the fight and looks up at his brother, searching for any trace of falsehood on his words.

'That's not true' he speaks after a moment, lowering his guard as he puts a bit more distance between the two of them.

'What?'

'Planet Vegeta did not explode because of a meteor, you fool' he speaks, crossing his arms around his chest as he lands on the ground. He looks up at Raditz, his smug grin replaced with a frown of concern. The anger is palpable on the older saiyan, but Kakarot has said words that prick his curiosity far too much and he lands on the ground, mimicking his brother and crossing his arms as well.

'Explain.'

'It was Frieza' he speaks, his chest tight and nervous as he begins to lay out everything for him. 'Frieza was terrified of the saiyan race. He was scared of us, of our power! As he damn well should be!' he clenches a fist and takes a step towards Raditz. 'Our parents, our planet, everybody! Frieza killed everybody because he was afraid that we would become too powerful and would oppose him. He threw the saiyan race away like trash because he couldn't sleep at night!'

Raditz is silent for a long time, his breathing even and calm. The two brothers stare at each other for a long time, each searching the other's face for a glimmer of weakness, but there is none to be found. Raditz finally relents, his gaze clouded with doubt and rage.

'How do you know this?'

'There's not four saiyans left, big brother. There's five. I wasn't sent here alone.'

Raditz' eyes go wide and his arms unfold from his chest. It seems for a moment like he's too scared to ask who else was sent before his guard returns and he stares at Kakarot, breathing heavily.

'And why exactly are you telling me this?'

'Because if you're serving Frieza willingly after you know the truth, you are no better than him, and it would pain me greatly to have to kill you.'

Kakarot realizes his mistake the moment he added his last words and as he opens his mouth to speak and correct himself Raditz laughs, his ego clutching to the one part of his sentence that he can fight and deny.

'Kill me! Kill me, he says!' Raditz laughs and shuts Kakarot up with a glare, his purpose now clear. He assumes an offensive stance and forces Kakarot to do the same. 'You've been living on this pathetic planet for too long, Kakarot. It's time you were put in your place. You might be the strongest person in this planet of weaklings, but you're nothing compared to me.'

Despite knowing what's at stake, despite knowing it was his mistake that drove them to this point, Kakarot's pride prickles at the challenge on his words and reason is cast aside momentarily. His next words are as inevitable as the destruction of planet Vegeta.

'Prove it.'

* * *

Fasha blinks as she emerges from the attack ball. Her body is stiff after so long in suspended animation but she cannot afford to relax at the moment. Her scouter has long been destroyed, but she has learned the rudimentary of sensing life energy, and she can pinpoint the location where two large powers have been clashing for several minutes now.

She mutters a curse as she sets off after them, her urgency giving her the speed she needs to intervene. She can already feel one power rapidly losing strength and in her heart she knows who that is.

It had been a risk to send the message, but she hadn't expected the encrypted transmission to take so long to reach the planet. It had been necessary to avoid detection but now she wishes she had just sent a regular transmission warning Kakarot.

'Don't die on me kiddo, I'm almost there' she mutters as she picks up speed.

* * *

Kakarot cries out loud as Raditz grabs his ankle and lifts him like he didn't weight anything before slamming him hard against the ground. His body smashes into the solid rock and shatters it into a dozen pieces. As he lifts him Kakarot grabs unto his shoulder guard and forces himself free, bringing his heel down on his brother's shoulder and forcing him down to his knees with a grunt as he lands behind him.

As Raditz rises he dashes forwards and his elbow smacks his brother right in the jaw, making him tumble again before he follows up with his knee, hitting Raditz on his back. Kakarot's moves become fast, frantic and desperate, staying close to his brother's body and forcing him on the defensive, but no matter how hard he punches and strikes him he cannot break his armour to get to his flesh beneath.  
Kakarot's entire body is on fire from the constant effort of keeping Raditz from pummeling him to the ground and Bulma's armour is loosely hanging from a single shoulder strap, the other having been torn apart from an energy blast that left a blackened ruined patch of muscle.

'Why. Won't. You. Go. Down?' Kakarot asks between gritted teeth as he keeps up an unrelenting barrage of frantic attacks that seem to push Raditz back rather than do any real damage.

Despite his mocking words and his laughter, Raditz is sweating profusely, and beneath his armour he can feel multiple bruises already spreading from his little brother's anger. While a part of him is annoyed at his stubborn resistance another is very proud of the strength he has acquired in this backwater world.

He retorts by taking the full brunt of one of Kakarot's punches to grab his wrist and forcefully twist it, pushing down with his higher weight to force his little brother down against the ground. Now finally in control he brings his leg up and kicks Kakarot over the side of the head, sending him sprawling unto the ground. Before he can stand up he lands on his brother's chest and rams his leg down against him, pinning him in place and almost breaking his ribs.

Kakarot screams loudly as Raditz crushes him, putting his entire weight against him.

'Because, little brother' he explains through heavy breaths. 'I've been fighting since before you got out of your incubation chamber' he brings his foot down against his brother's chest one more time to drive the point home, his armour almost cracking underneath his assault. 'This armour... it wasn't made in planet Vegeta, how did you get this? There's no way you made it yourself.'

'A friend made it!' Kakarot screams before firing a point blank blast at Raditz face. The explosion engulfs them both and forces Raditz back, coughing and snarling in pain. Kakarot can barely stand up, panting as he holds his damaged chest. The fight and this last blast has damaged and destroyed large part of his outfit, but his armour is still holding. His body on the other hand has almost reached its limit and he knows it. His mind briefly goes to the senzu beans on his chest pouch before he dismisses the idea. He doesn't think Raditz will kill him and he won't win by cheating in such a way. 'T-that. All you. Got?'

Before Raditz speaks Kakarot lets out a grunt as he turns to face eastward, where a massive energy signature is approaching. His surprise is such that even Raditz turns to look at the horizon.

'What?'

'D-did somebody come with you?' he asks, falling to one knee and holding himself off the ground with one hand.

'No. I'm here alone.'

'T-then we might have to leave this for another time' he mutters as he tries and fails to stand up, falling back to his knees.

'What are you prattling on about, Kakarot? If you're trying to stall for time it's not going to help you, any friend you might have I can crush as easily as I can crush you!' Raditz states, wiping some blood from his split lip with the back of his glove. 'And I've had enough of this, it's clear this place has changed you, and not for the better, little brother. You've become unhinged, I don't even know if you're in your right frame of mind anymore' he states as he starts walking towards him.

He raises his arm, bright white energy surrounding his hand as he readies himself to strike. Kakarot looks up at him with a grin as if daring him to kill him. Raditz holds his place for a moment, looking down at his little brother.

'What's keeping you?' he spits out angrily.

'You said you weren't sent here alone. Who is the fifth?'

Kakarot lowers his head and sighs as he points upwards and to the west, where he had looked before. With no small amount of hesitance Raditz looks up, just as a loud whoosh of air sends his mane flowing wildly. He only sees a glimpse of pink energy rushing his way before he feels two fists embedded on his stomach, sending him flying backwards away from his brother.

He screams in pain as the punches break through his armour and begin battering his face, smacking his head against the ground. He brings up his knees and push the warrior away from him, rolling to a crouch, panting heavily and holding his stomach as he stares at the newcomer.

Fasha stands between Kakarot and Raditz, her fists raised in a defensive pose as she studies him.

'Whatever problem you had with Kakarot you can bring it up with me' she snarls at him before she blinks and her eyes narrow. 'Raditz?''

'F-Fasha' he grunts as he stands up and lets out a hiss between his teeth. 'Lost none of your punch, I see. You must be the one Kakarot was talking about.'

'Ain't you a smart one' she retorts, her guard still up. 'Why are you here?'

Raditz lowers his arms and takes a deep breath.

'Is what Kakarot said true?'

'You mean about planet Vegeta? Yes. Frieza sicked Dodoria on us personally' she speaks with such venom that it seems like the attack happened yesterday, not twenty years ago.

Raditz lets out a sigh as he collapses to the ground, lowering his gaze and punching the solid rock, shattering it underneath his fist. Fasha lowers her hands as Raditz quietly tries to process the truth. She turns on her heels and walks towards Kakarot, stretching a hand towards the former boy. He has always looked so much like Bardock, but as he stands up, beaten to a pulp, she has to admit that he has never looked more like him.

'Sorry that took so long, Frieza's grip on the galaxy is tighter than I imagined' she apologizes. Kakarot shakes his head and she looks at him up and down. 'You two had fun?'

Kakarot laughs as they make their way towards Raditz, leaning on Fasha's shoulder for support when he feels he's about to stumble and fall again. She doesn't offer any further assistance but also doesn't push him away, which is as much as he expected from her.

'Curse his blood' Raditz mutters before looking up at Fasha and Kakarot. 'I've been blind all this time' he admits, looking at Kakarot with a slightly apologetic look. 'Didn't mean to beat you up that bad, little brother.'

'Even when apologizing you sound like a smart ass' Kakarot speaks through bloodied teeth. 'Part of it is my fault too' he admits with a sigh.

Fasha helps Raditz up and the three look at each other for a moment.

'I never expected to see you two together' Fasha muses for a moment as her gaze goes from one of Bardock's sons to the next, an amused smile on her face. 'Funny how things work out in the end, huh?'

Kakarot smirks at her and takes a step back, now standing on his own two feet as he pushes the pain from his injuries aside.

'I got your message just this morning, didn't expect to see you again so soon.'

'I ran into some issues, couldn't just send you a warning that Frieza could get.'

'Issues?'

'Frieza Planet 17 is in the middle of a fun revolt that should keep his attention for a while.'

'That was you?' Raditz laughed and shook his head. 'Vegeta and Nappa were supposed to take care of that little problem for Frieza, and they have better things to do than go put down locals. That's going to be raging on for a while before Frieza realizes Vegeta's not going to take care of it.'

Fasha crosses her arms and looks at Raditz with a raised eyebrow.

'Figures that out of everybody the two most arrogant ones are the ones that made it' she rolls her eyes and looks at Kakarot. 'We should get back to a safe place and rest up, we have a lot to talk about.'

'I have a place' Kakarot offers. Fasha raises her eyebrow and he shrugs with a wince. 'I've made friends.'

'Friends' Raditz scoffs and grins. 'The same friends that made you that armour? I wouldn't mind having one of those myself, it's tough.'

'Lightweight too' Kakarot mutters as he slowly rises to the air. 'Let's go.'

Fasha and Raditz rise up to the air, following the injured Kakarot towards West city. The two older saiyans share a moment as they look at each other, each one clearly curious about what the other has lived through.

'Later' Fasha mouths quietly to Raditz and he nods in silence.

* * *

_Author's Note:_

_Bet you didn't expect Chapter 4 so quickly! Well neither did I actually, this was just twenty minutes of free time that turned into a couple of hours after some plans got derailed._

_Things are picking up speed as the saiyans now fully take the center stage! I think the hardest part to manage is those moments in which saiyan passion and energy take over reason and they take decisions that seem stupid to us mere humans, but the results are pretty fun._

_Hope you guys like my descriptions of combat and it's not too convoluted, sometimes it can be a bit difficult to properly describe the flow of battle, specially at the speed in which most dragon ball fights take place from here on out, but I'll try to change it a bit more if it's getting a bit too heavy or complex to follow the action._

_Until next time, have a good day guys!_


	5. A Flicker of Disquiet (Chapter 5)

Capsule Corp's exterior glows a golden cream colour. The sun slowly bathes the exterior in its final descent, providing the cold metal shell with the last of its warmth before it rises again the next day. Bulma flicks the butt of her cigarette into the trash before leaning against the railing of her home and staring into the distance. The exhaustion behind her eyelids drags every blink just slightly longer and she can feel the aching of her eyes spreading to her bones.

She hangs her head in concern and crushes the empty cigarette box in her hand before tossing it alongside the husks of multiple stubs.

There's a slight change in the breeze, one she has learned to identify quite expertly. Her eyes shoot open as she looks up and is greeted by a welcome sight that shoots an injection of energy to her tired body.

'Goku!'

* * *

Fasha walks between Kakarot and Raditz, slowly retelling everything that she has lived and learned during her time wandering Frieza's empire. Her voice is even and measured, taking her time to recall the details that could be important and prompting Raditz to fill in the blanks whenever he can, although there turns out to be little of value that he can add to her story, only commenting on certain planets or species he's familiar with.

'So where does this leave us?' Kakarot questions as he slightly adjusts the chest wrap that Bulma gave him for his bruised ribs. The lingering touch of her fingers on him was not something that escaped Fasha's eyes.

'It leaves us on the cusp of discovery. Frieza knows there is at least one person claiming to be a saiyan running rampart on several of his planets, it'll take him some time to figure out I'm long gone, but he'll get there. When he does we can expect his reach to expand. He won't tolerate what I've done, nor the idea of more people being aware of what he did to us.'

'Which is the worst part about this entire plan, by the way' Raditz scoffs. His legs are raised on the table, with his long hair almost brushing up against the ground as he leans back on the chair. 'There was no need to make Frieza even more suspicious of us. We could have had more time.'

'You think he wouldn't have figured it out by himself?' Fasha grins. 'Besides, with this happening, you can bet that he's going to keep a much tighter leash on Vegeta and Nappa, which means that we get two benefits. On one hand, we can be assured that Vegeta will not be happy or comfortable with Frieza, even if he doesn't know what he did, and two, it diverts his attention deep into his own people.'

'We don't have the strength to face him head on just yet, so we have to bleed him dry from a hundred cuts instead' Kakarot reassures Raditz, who raises an eyebrow at his brother but says nothing. 'What?'

'It's not something I expected to hear from you.'

'This planet has not made me soft, Raditz.'

'So you claim, but the people remain comfortable and ignorant, and I see how they look at you. They're in awe of you. You've done something for them.'

'Nothing of importance.'

'Enough' Fasha rubs the bridge of her nose with the tips of her fingers before looking at Kakarot. 'Our course is clear, tomorrow we begin training, you two are nowhere near as strong as I need you to be for what's coming' she speaks casually, ignoring how they both bristle at the implied insult. 'Make sure your human girl gets us some additional suits of armour.'

'Her name is Bulma and she's not mine.'

'See? Soft' Raditz sighs as he stands up. 'Worry not little brother! You'll grow up into a fine warrior, you just need the right example to follow' he grins as he walks towards the refrigerator, opening the appliance and peering inside. 'You should go rest and get ready for tomorrow' he looks back as he reaches and grabs a piece of cold meat, taking a bite off it and raising his eyebrows at the taste. 'Well, well, there might be more to this place than I thought.'

* * *

The weight of the leather bag is like a boulder against his chest. He can almost feel the three small beans inside. The temptation is there. Fasha is much stronger than he could have ever imagined, even more so than he remembered, and Raditz shows much more cunning and guile to match his brutal strength.

His ribs ache from the pain of his brother's stomps and his hand grabs the entrance of the leather bag, toying with it as he mulls his thoughts over. The idea of returning fully recovered and bashing Raditz into submission grows ever more appealing to him. He's almost about to open the bag and eat one of the beans when his door opens and he sits up, one hand extended and ready to fire.

Fasha holds her hands up with a grin on her face as she walks towards him. She's only wearing the pink bodysuit this time. She looks much smaller and gentler outside of her wargear, she could almost pass for a human were it not for the tail wrapped around her waist like a belt.

'It's only me, kiddo' she whispers as she rests her hands on her hips. 'I'd thought you'd have company.'

Kakarot raises an eyebrow in confusion before looking away with a mixture of embarrassment and frustration. Fasha snickers as she looks down at him, waving for him to lay down again.

'What do you want?'

'To get a closer look, it's been so busy, I haven't even paid attention to how much you've grown' she says as she examines his face with clinical precision. 'You look so much like him' she whispers.

'So you've said.'

'But it's even more noticeable now. Raditz must have stumbled when he first saw you. You're just like your father' she speaks before blinking and looking into his eyes, realizing Kakarot had little else to say to her comments. 'But enough of that. You've been training and getting stronger for the past years, and I'm curious about what you've learned in the time.'

'Too much to cover for now, but I have a few tricks I'm sure you haven't seen' he smiles as he tosses the small bag aside, letting it drop over his folded clothes. 'The warriors here might not be powerful, but they are skilled, and they make up for it with incredible ingenuity, my friends have surprised me in more than one occasion.'

Fasha listens with crossed arms as Kakarot starts telling her of his friends, of the Turtle School, of Fire mountain and the Ox King, of his war against the Red Ribbon army and numerous encounters with powerful enemies that he always bested and learned from. He even sounds like Bardock, with careful analysis she can even tell when some tales stretch into boastful territory just like he would do.

'I killed him, but not before he spat out an egg that would hatch into his reincarnation. He was an annoying opponent, but I made sure to leave no trace of his spawn.'

'And how's Gohan?'

He doesn't reply immediately. She can sense the truth almost as quickly as he tries to hide his guilt.

'He's, ah-'

'How did he die?'

That stops him cold. He looks away at the wall with a focused glare as if trying to remember the exact circumstances.

'I killed him... I looked at the moon.'

Fasha lets out a breath as she closes her eyes, turning away and examining his room lazily. Goku feels the pressure ease, but he keeps his silence, waiting her judgement. Waiting for her to scold him like she used to whenever he didn't listen to her.

'Is that why you cut off your tail?'

He blinks and looks at her, sitting up again as she moves towards his desk, picking up a newspaper clipping that shows Kakarot and Tien bowing to each other before their match just a few years ago.

'Yes, I couldn't run the risk again. I made sure it couldn't grow again.'

She stops at that, looking back at him with a curious look.

'Do you miss it?'

Kakarot frowns at the question, thrown on the back foot by her lack of reaction to Gohan's death. She seems more concerned about the situation with his tail than for the old man.

'I... I don't think about it too much, I guess not.'

She puts down the clipping and turns to face him, hugging herself with a soft smile on her face. It looks like a mixture of disappointment, amusement and relief at the same time.

'Raditz is right, this world has made you soft' she raises a finger to shut him up before explaining. 'I didn't say weak. I mean you have something that I've only known your mother to have before you' she continues as she walks towards him, sitting on the side of the bed. 'You care about the people here, this planet and your friends. You've made a home on Earth.'

Kakarot looks down at his own hands and he feels his phantom tail muscles twitch once.

'I had to... I had nothing else' he answers, with only slightly more venom than he meant to.

Fasha doesn't respond immediately, but the stiffening of her posture is enough.

'You know I had to leave, we would have been blind here.'

'You had to leave for nine years?'

'I couldn't just return, Kakarot. Every step had to be concealed or I would have been discovered.'

'Yeah. That doesn't mean it didn't hurt.'

'I told you I was coming back, didn't you trust me?'

'It was nine years, Fasha, almost ten. I know to you that might not seem like too much, but it's almost half my life.'

'Oh kid, you know I missed you too' she rests a hand on his broad shoulder, shaking her head and looking away. 'It wasn't easy doing it, but I had to. I know you don't agree, but you know what's at stake. If we fail now none of this would have mattered. If we fail now everything you have lived for and everything we've struggled for would be gone in an instant.'

'I've never forgotten.'

'Good.'

'You should sleep.'

'I'll sleep after training tomorrow, I've been on suspended animation for several months, my entire body feels sluggish' she explains as she stands up, stretching her shoulders. She walks towards the door and gives him one last grin. 'Tomorrow we hit the ground running, Kakarot, be ready.'

He gives her a small smile and a thumbs up, forgetting his previous anger with her at the sight of her violet eyes once more.

* * *

The former tournament grounds lay in rubble after the destruction Kakarot and Piccolo's match caused. Plans to restore it were put to a halt after the location was decided to be changed to a grander venue further to the south, with easier access to the hospital. Kakarot kicks around a piece of rubble outside of the ring. Here Piccolo had grabbed him by his head and smashed him through the stage, almost pushing him off.

He recalls the moment of surprise on Piccolo's face when Kakarot allowed him to push him out of the ring only to stop a few inches above the ground, slowly floating back to the battlefield with a grin.

He smiles as he turns to face Fasha and Raditz, stretching his shoulders and forcing his sore back and chest to move.

'Alright! We don't have much time so it's important to get you caught up' he tells Raditz as he starts walking around him slowly. 'You already know how to use energy, so this part should be easy for you. You need to learn how to sense energy without having to rely on your scouter.'

'What nonsense are you prattling on about now?'

'It's no nonsense' Fasha shakes her head, taking position on the other side of Raditz and walking in a circle as well, opposite to Kakarot. 'With the right training you can sense were energy is coming from, you can tell where your opponent is even while blinded and deaf.'

Raditz scoffs and looks back at his brother.

'I can already tell where my enemies are if you hadn't noticed.'

'That's not the same, Raditz' Kakarot explains as he starts moving faster, jogging around his brother. Fasha matches him and they start circling Raditz, who still has his arms crossed over his chest. 'You feel the vibrations in the air, you anticipate my moves based on what you can see and hear and feel. You read what your opponent is doing based on their body language, but you don't actually sense them. You didn't realize Fasha was on her way until you felt her swooping to get you, didn't you?'

His brother scowls at him but says nothing.

'So what is this marvelous technique you are talking about?'

'Focus on your own body, on your own power, similarly to how you channel your energy before an attack. You have to first have full conscience of your own body and spirit before you can stretch your senses to the rest of the world.'

The two saiyans speed up and start running faster and faster around Raditz, their shapes become blurs of speed around him, but he has little trouble keeping up with the two of them.

'So what is this little game supposed to be?' Raditz sighs as he relaxes his arms and lets them hang at his side.

'You have to attack me, and only me' Fasha speaks from his back and his front at the same time. The wind now whips and flows like a hurricane. 'Close your eyes and focus, we don't stop until you've managed to pinpoint me and hit me three times. Strike Kakarot and you'll have to start again.'

'This is ridiculous, I'll not be treated like an untrained child!'

'Then this should be an easy task for you!' Kakarot laughs before breaking from the circle and hitting Raditz on his upper back with his knee, earning a backhand slap that sends him back. He breaks off with a grin and jumps back into pattern with Fasha, occasionally firing a small blue energy blast at his brother, who swats it aside as he tries to focus with a scowl on his face.

'Disrespectful brat' Raditz mutters under his breath as he sends another of Kakarot's blast careening into the sky. 'Wait till I get my hands on you, little brother.'

* * *

'How much do you actually remember about them?'

'Not too much, I was sent away when I was still young, assigned to prince Vegeta of all people.'

'Is he as arrogant as Fasha says?'

'She doesn't know the half of it.'

'Ouch. How'd you fare?'

'I survived, but I'm in no rush to see him for the rest of my life.'

'Yet we're probably going to need his help.'

'He has the power, just expect an ego to match, and a towering sense of always being better than you no matter what you actually achieve.'

'Do you think it's related to how Frieza treats him?'

'Nah, he was exactly the same even before he destroyed our planet.'

'You're taking the news rather well, it took Fasha several years to move past that.'

'She was there longer than any other of us, except perhaps Nappa, but he's... a bit too easy going for his own good. As long as he's following Vegeta's orders, little bothers him.'

'I tried wishing for our planet back, you know.'

'With those dragon balls you mentioned?'

'Yeah. Didn't work.'

'You put too much stock on stories, Kakarot. Nothing is bringing our people back. And even if there was such a magical bauble that was able to do it, Frieza would simply destroy it again.'

'Maybe, but with every last saiyan fighting it wouldn't be easy for him.'

'You'd be surprised. Frieza's power is such that he could kill Vegeta with little more than a flick of his wrist.'

'Have you ever seen him in action?'

'I don't think anybody that has ever seen Frieza in action has lived to tell the tale.'

'We'll be the first, once we kill him.'

'Everything's clear cut for you, isn't it? You simply say you're going to do something and then you do it.'

'Is there anything more to it?'

'Usually yes. You might find that between your words and your actions there will be many obstacles. If words was all it took to kill Frieza I would have slayed him a thousand times already.'

'It's going to happen. With the three of us working together.'

'Sure.'

'You don't actually believe me, don't you?'

'Believe that you can bring down Frieza and take revenge for our race? No, no I don't believe you.'

'I will do it. It's what I've been preparing all my life.'

'Then you've done a terrible job of it, you're barely half the warrior you could be had you been with us. You still have a long way to go, little brother.'

'So you keep saying.'

'Because it's true. You're powerful yes, and on an off day you might be able to best me, but your power is severely limited and you have no idea how to fight without having your feet on the ground. For warriors like me the ground is nothing more than a point of reference, and not the base of our entire fighting style. You'll be bested by mere grunts if you can't grasp the basics of spatial awareness and vertical movement.'

'Give me five days and I'll be flying circles around you.'

'That'll be the day.'

'You've been doing nothing but underestimating me since you arrived, this will be nothing different.'

'No I've been estimating you exactly what you are worth. Everybody else on this planet looks at you with awe and fear, you've let it gone to your head.'

'It's not a delusion when it's true. I'll keep getting stronger until I'm the most powerful warrior in the universe, until the name of Frieza is forgotten to time and the only thing people remember is the strength of the saiyans.'

'Bold words, I'll be keeping you to them, then.'

'Wouldn't have it any other way.'

'I'll be picking up the pieces when you fail, I'm sure.'

'Just when I thought you were starting to see sense.'

* * *

Fasha grabs the edges of her bodysuit and slowly begins peeling it off her body, avoiding the bruise on the side of her chest were Raditz rammed a knee against her while she was choking Kakarot, wincing as she bends over to pull it down. She hooks her foot against it and kicks up, sending the pink cloth flicking to her hand with practiced ease.

The bathroom is spacious and decadent, with numerous bottles of perfumed oils, soaps and liquids Fasha doesn't recognize. Her eyes roll upwards with a sigh as she walks towards the showerhead. Even this is a testament to humanity's complacency. She tosses the pink bodysuit in the nearby hamper and turns on the water with the press of a button.

The warm liquid washes down her sweaty muscles like a soothing balm, and her distaste for mankind evaporates like the steam rising around her body. A soft breath of delight escapes from her lips as she leans against the wall, brushing her body against the cold surface as she slowly lowers unto the ground, combing her hair out of her face. Despite their failings and weaknesses, she's grateful for the fact that this race had allowed itself the luxury of developing a system to warm the water they use to bathe.

It dawns on her how long she had to live on the run, with little chance to shower or change even after days of constant movement. Having to stay one step ahead of Frieza's soldiers was one of the most frustrating experiences she has had the displeasure of living through, but it was necessary at the time. She rubs the side of her chest gingerly and lets out a small cry of surprise at the sharp sensation.

'Sneaky bastard' she grins.

* * *

'She's taking a shower in my room, she'll be back soon. Why don't you sit down? You look like a caged lion' Bulma gestures to the couch and Kakarot lets out a sigh as he sits down on it.

He is only wearing his torn blue bodysuit and limb guards, his armour is resting on the nearby table. His body is covered in bruised every day now, just like Fasha, just like Raditz. It's like their beating each other bloody for fun every day, and Bulma has gotten tired of trying to get them to calm down. With the three of them combined in the same place they have reached a frenzy of energy that keeps them going even after logic would tell them to stop and rest.

'How's progress on the ship?'

'You know, it wouldn't kill you to help me every now and then, there's plenty of heavy parts that need to be adjusted and it's very difficult with the help around here.'

Kakarot blinks and looks at her, taking stock of her slightly disheveled appearance. It's not that she's messy or unruly, Bulma would never allow that, but she has less makeup on and she looks like she hasn't been getting enough sleep. Fasha's words have clearly unnerved her to the point she's working herself as hard as they are.

'Sorry. I can help out tomorrow for a while, and I'll see if Raditz wants to assist, he might have a better idea of the inner workings that can help.'

She gives him a small smile before leaning back on the couch and sliding her hands outwards, caressing the soft material.

'Thanks, I should be able to figure that out for myself in a while, it's just annoying having to wait for the robots to slowly move everything into position while I'm working on it, they slow down the calibration process and make everything painfully slow.'

'We'll make it worth it, you know?' he reassures her with a grin.

Bulma looks at him and gives him a refreshing smile.

'I don't doubt it. From what I hear, this Frieza character is bad news all around, so there's no point just huddling here and waiting for him to come for us.'

'Right. I knew you'd see it our way. Once we beat Frieza we'll bring everything we can back to you and you can have fun with all his toys.'

Bulma lets out a chuckle and looks as the door to her room opens. Fasha steps out, wearing another blue bodysuit like Goku's and drying her hair with a white towel.

'Did you have everything you needed?' Bulma asks her with a curious look. Fasha is an incredible look at what the Saiyan culture must have been at one point. Bulma considers Fasha looks somewhat plain, even when wearing her golden earrings and adjusting her hair in a slightly less messy arrangement which Bulma supposes is meant to be orderly for Saiyans. However considering how brutish and savage their culture was, she imagines Fasha must have been considered a very beautiful and maybe even delicate woman amongst her people. The thought brings a flicker of disquiet to her features.

Traits that she considers ungainly or undesirable for a woman are very prevalent in Fasha. Her tomboyish looks and her clearly defined muscles are unthinkable for Bulma to ever want on herself, but both saiyan men seemed to approve of it. Goku in particular looks at her like she's a goddess taken out of a painting and the thought unsettles her more than she dares to admit.

'Yes, there was plenty of... supplies there, thank you.'

'There still some sunlight if you want to go for another go' he offers with a small hopeful smile on his face. Bulma rolls her eyes at the suggestion and even Fasha looks politely amused.

'Not for today, Kakarot. You two have been getting stronger and I'm actually tired today' she explains as she walks towards the table and takes a bottle of water before sitting down on the edge of it. She opens the plastic container and takes big gulps of ice cold water. 'Where's Raditz?'

'In the highlands, he said he wanted some time alone' he shrugs.

'Alright. It's not like there's anything that would be a threat to him' she cranes her neck and lets out a sigh. 'What's the purpose of all those liquids in the bath?'

'What?' Bulma blinks. 'Oh, you mean my shampoos and conditioners? For your hair, to clean it and make it softer and easier to handle. Don't think they work on you people, I tried with Goku once and it didn't help a bit.'

'Heh, true, I had forgotten about that' he snickers as he leans back on the couch.

'When did you two meet? Kakarot's been somewhat quiet regarding that' Fasha asks with a playful smirk as Kakarot rolls his eyes.

Bulma gives him a pout and crosses her arms.

'He would be! He nearly tried to kill me' she complains before explaining herself. 'I was looking for the dragon balls during my summer vacations. Turns out Goku had one of them' she grins as she looks at him. 'I was driving one of my cars and he thought I was a monster.'

Kakarot actually blushes at that and rubs the back of his head.

'Yeah, back then I hadn't actually seen a car before' he laughs and shakes his head. 'I was quite surprised when she got out of the broken wreck, she's tougher than she looks' he mentions to Fasha as an aside. 'First thing she did was to shoot me in the head.'

'I was terrified! I thought you were the monster!' she laughs as she jumps up on the couch and folds her legs beneath her, now recalling the situation with vivid details. 'Oh, it was so scary! I had just shot him and he just stood back up, holding his head between his hands and crying out loud. I didn't know what to do.'

Fasha leans back on the table, crossing her legs as she rests her palms on the surface, looking at the two retell their story with a raised eyebrow, occasionally asking for clarification when they use a terran proverb or item she has yet to encounter.

'This was when you twelve, right?'

'Right, just a year or so before I started training with Roshi actually. I had been wandering the forest and training by myself so I thought it would be a great chance to actually see how good I was compared to everybody else.'

'I take it you were pleasantly surprised? I doubt you could have gotten this strong with just some alone training.'

'Yes, it should come at no surprise, but when it comes to magical wish granting orbs there are a lot of interested parties in finding and abusing them.'

Fasha narrows her eyes and leans forward, her hands on her legs as she looks pensive for a moment.

'Those dragon balls, they concern me. How did they come to be? Why are they here of all planets? Something that can grant almost any wish you could desire is rather... important to be in such a backwater planet such as this. I haven't heard of anything like that in all of Frieza's empire.'

'We actually don't know much' Kakarot shakes his head. 'All I know is that they were created by the guardian of this planet, Kami. He was an ancient creature, unlike any I had ever seen before. He was apparently the good half of an ancient demon called Piccolo. The orbs themselves were tied to his power, they were only able to create wishes that didn't exceed his own power, hence why they couldn't bring back planet Vegeta. But it's all a moot point anyways' he waves it away. 'The dragon balls were turned to stone after I killed Piccolo and Kami died with him. Nobody is going to be using those for their own personal gain ever again.'

Fasha nods and turns her gaze to the curved window on the far right, lost in her own thoughts. Kakarot and Bulma keep talking about their previous adventures and their theories, but Fasha is no longer paying attention to them, her violet eyes stare at nothing as a loud thunder cracks the sky and droplets of rain start falling around Capsule Corp.

* * *

The cold doesn't affect Raditz, his body has been trained to handle even the void of space for a few minutes at a time, and it's considerably colder out there. His gaze is turned up to the stars, but his thoughts mull inwards, to the distant days in which he thought he knew the universe and his role in it. Back when he thought he would be able to become stronger than Vegeta and that was the only marker that mattered, back when he had parents to impress and a planet to return to.

He closes his eyes as he thinks back on them. He still remembers Bardock vividly. His father was ever aloof and mighty, always focused on besting the next challenge, always ready to take on anything the galaxy threw at him. He can remember the look of focused intensity on his eyes, the certainty. That is what he misses the most.

His hands unfold and he clenches and relaxes his fists, trying to remember his mother. Her face is somewhat muddled, he can't recall if the nose in her face is the correct one or if he is simply putting Fasha's in place of Gine's.

'You'd be proud of us' he whispers with a smile as he takes a deep breath and opens his eyes, focusing his gaze on the white sheet of snow in front of him. His grunts of effort slowly grow into a scream as he focuses on his energy, forcing it to rise and bubble inside of him. A white flowing aura of power engulfs his body, pushing the cold aside as his voice turns into a mighty roar. The earth around him shakes and trembles as he forces everything he has into the surface. His body bulges with power, coiling and twisting and begging to be released, but he forces it to stay inside of him, powering him up. His body moves instinctually, his leg rises and he strikes at an invisible enemy before he follows with a twist to ram his elbow forwards, his jab and his knee strike follow up in close sequence, and his movements flow into the next with punishing efficiency.

His vision blurs as he goes through the motions and when he stops he reaches on to his cheeks, brushing away liquid from his face. It takes him a long time to realize that those are tears. He brushes his cheeks with the back of his gloved hand, chuckling to himself.

'And Kakarot is the soft one' he shakes his head before taking a deep breath and starting again from the beginning, losing himself in the pattern of attacks he's known since childhood, trying hard to remember the last time he spoke with his mother.

* * *

_Author's Note:_

_And Chapter 5 comes to a close._

_The saiyans are now living together on Earth, and they're slowly going to have to ensure their clashing personalities don't bring them into conflict more than they already do._

_As you have already noted, Kakarot can be quite arrogant and full of himself, even more so than the one we see on the show, and Fasha still has very marked traits that make me hesitant to call her a hero just yet. The most interesting part comes from Raditz, who we actually see remorseful and caring in his final moments for his little brother in the original show. I like that concept, the honesty that he displays in those final seconds are a big inspiration for that final scene. Not to worry, he'll return with his full bravado once he's around other people._

_The other interesting tidbit is Bulma's reaction to Fasha's relationship with Kakarot. Bulma's interest is clear for any other human to notice, but saiyans have different sensitivities and priorities. It's going to be fun to see what happens between those three, I still haven't decided!_

_One last thing to bring to mind is something that I was asked about the previous chapters. Whenever the narrator is referring to Kakarot by his earth name it means that the perspective is more skewed towards a person that knows him by that name, rather than the more objective or saiyan related Kakarot. So while he will be usually referred to as Kakarot, you might find every now and then a Goku slipped by, I'll try to make sure I don't make any mix ups during these moments!_

_Well, that's all from me this time! Hope you guys are enjoying and see you next time!_


	6. When the Boy Became a Man (Chapter 6)

'We need to do this, have I not made that clear since the beginning?'

'You've been vocal about it.'

'So why are you trying to dissuade me now, old man?'

'Because you've always stated that you have to kill him to throw away the shackles of your past. Goku has always said that it's the only way you'll ever be free. But that's not why you're really doing it, is it?'

'Spare me your rhetoric. Say what you mean and get out of my way.'

'You're not preparing yourself for a fight to bring about your future, you're preparing yourself to go out in a blaze of glory. You're looking to end everything there.'

'That's not true and you know it. We've prepared, we've trained and planned and done everything we can to end Frieza's reign.',

'Have you? Or have you prepared yourself to beat yourself and the rest of your people bloody against a wall until it or you gives out?'

'We will not give out. Frieza will die by saiyan hands.'

'At what cost?'

'At any cost, old man. I will not debate this with you any longer.'

'Very well, but remember that there's more to life than just revenge. Even if you have to do it, don't forget that there are lives that have developed here, just as there are everywhere else in the universe. If the saiyans end there you will be no legacy left. We will remember Goku, some might remember Raditz, and some of us might even remember you, but your race will end, and once we are gone every last trace of the saiyans will be gone with us. I don't think that's what you of all people want.'

'... What I want stopped mattering two decades ago. Be on your way, old man.'

'What did she say?' Bulma asks Roshi as he makes his way into the shuttle. Even his usual enthusiasm for the bodies of the women on the ship with him seems to have died down as he looks sullenly at the ground. He shakes his head without saying anything and Bulma takes off with a sigh, going back to Capsule Corp.

The minutes tick by slowly as Launch tries and fails to cheer Roshi up and Bulma ponders her own thoughts regarding the matter.

The time spent devoting themselves to nothing but the path to power has not been kind to the saiyans.

Like ducks to water, they had fallen into a punishing routine that took up most of their days, waking up at the crack of dawn. The first rays of light met the first blows being exchanged, and as long as the sun shone over their heads the saiyans took little time to rest.

'I don't think there's much we can do for now' Roshi admits with a sigh that carries all his years behind it. 'The threat is too real, and we can't dissuade them for now. We will have to wait and hope for the best.'

Bulma has little to say to that, staring at nothing as she makes minute adjustments to the flight of the ship almost by instinct. Goku informed them all, in one of the rare moments he was not beating himself into a bloody pulp, that two more saiyans were on their way towards the planet, with intentions unknown. Two saiyans that according to Raditz have been living under Frieza's control for the better part of their lives

There is wind, like there usually is, but unlike the vicious sandstorms, it's only a gentle breeze this day. Underneath the punishing sun of Vampa, there is blessed respite from the grueling sandstorms and the constant attacks from hungry creatures seeking an easy meal.

It's not thanks to the mercy of the universe, or any scientific progress made by Paragus or Broly to improve their lives.

Without warning, there is a loud scream that echoes through the empty planet, and a bright, sickly emerald blast of energy that flies in an arc. The orb screams through the air, in a collision course with an unknown target in the horizon. Paragus pays it no mind, it didn't hit him, but he might not get as lucky the second time.

The colonel tries one last time, his hand tightening in frustration against the remote in his hand.

'Broly, that's enough! Calm yourself before you destroy everything around us! Broly!' he screams to his son, who is currently crushing the corpse of one of the massive beasts in a fit of rage, screaming and exuding energy blasts like lesser men might sweat.

Broly screams incoherently as he rams his fists into the creature, crushing the shell and turning the meat into pulp as another an aura of green and golden flame engulfs him, blinding and deafening him to his father's pleas.

Paragus' face turns to stone as he clutches the remote and with a grunt of resignation he presses down on the button, activating his son's control collar. There is a sickening crackle as electricity spats and sparks from the collar, shooting into Broly's neck and travelling down his spine, freezing and clutching his muscles and sending him spasming to the ground, unable to muster the strength to rip the collar off, his eyes unfocused as the agony of his father's control method finally snaps him out of his rage and he screams.

'Father!' his voice cries out, no longer in rage, but in his own, gentle tone. There's always fear and confusion during these first few moments, both for him and his father, who is never sure if he can finally let go. Trial and error has helped Paragus find the exact amount of time and energy to use, but his fear makes him keep pressing down on the button for a few more seconds, just to be sure. His blind eye itches as he remembers the truly staggering power that Broly is capable of unleashing when he loses control.

He finally lets go and Broly drops like a rock, grunting and panting with agony and relief. There's guilt then, mixed with a crushing sense of necessity that quickly pushes it all away. Broly has no control and no conscience over himself during this time. It's necessary.

'Broly' he speaks his name, giving him some time to breathe and get his body to stop spasming. 'Are you under control?'

He doesn't answer for some time, and Paragus keeps his thumb right on top of the button, his eye locking unto his son. The small and anxious child has been replaced by a confident and powerful warrior, and the mere sight of his son brings a touch of pride to his cold heart. He no longer wonders if King Vegeta was too paranoid. Broly would have taken the crown and dominated the entire race into submission if need be.

Standing head and shoulders above his father, Broly is a sight to behold, with arms as thick as his father's legs and muscles that have been forged by the merciless hellhole that is their home. The young man had learned quickly how to fight back against the monsters, and how to survive when every day was a struggle.

He stands up, his neck tightening and twitching a few more times before he gets himself back under control, clenching his fists and forcing himself to stand up straight. He cannot look at his father. He fears losing control if he does. He takes deep breaths and closes his eyes, before nodding.

'Yes.'

Paragus lets out a sigh of relief and walks back to the cave, grabbing the pulped creature and dragging it back, leaving an oily trail of blood behind him. Broly doesn't move from the spot for what feels like a small eternity, his thoughts churning and going in every direction, even those that he knows he's not supposed to think about.

His frustration and anger force him to think about his father in terms that shouldn't be employed for him. His father is not an enemy, his father is not a target. It was his own fault. He lost control, he could have hurt his father, or destroyed what remained of the ship or brought down the cave or caused such damage to the terrain that the smaller creatures might have avoided their home and force them to scavenge longer and further away for their basic necessities. It takes some time, but he manages to rearrange his thoughts and settle down, his muscles finally relaxing as he settles on an answer.

With a soft whisper of air, he rises and flies towards the horizon. Now that Broly has grown into a man he no longer needs to stay near the cave all the time. He can practice on his own, and explore the planet around him. His father originally wondered if perhaps there could be a hidden oasis or underwater rivers, but soon realized that if there was such a precious treasure to be found, it would not be him that would be undertaking that journey. The planet is too hostile and Paragus simply can not fly as fast as Broly can, nor defeat the monsters as easily as his son.

Without every stating it out loud, it has fallen to Broly the responsibility of searching for a more hospitable location, or a better source of water. He does not mind, it gives him some time to himself, and he enjoys the sights and the cool sensation of the wind on his face.

He lands gently on a familiar rock. He knows the sun always rises above their cave from this location. His father once explained that was a direction, and it was called north. He had explained to him that the opposite was south, and that between these two there was west and east, but to this day Broly sometimes forgets which is which. It is of little importance, he knows where the sun is, and that is all he needs.

There is a growl and the disturbance of rocks from the south, and he turns to face the younger monsters. Their green fur is short and they have a distinctly wet look that quickly goes away during their lifetime. Vampa is a dry planet, and it dries up even the last drop of sweat and saliva exposed to the harsh winds without mercy.

Broly grins as he takes a well practice defensive stance, waiting for the bolder of the nest to reach out and try to consume him. Ba's ear flutters in the wind and for a time Broly forgets about his plight, about his father and about this cursed world. For a time there is only the gentle breeze, the snapping and bites of the creatures and the rush of adrenaline he experiences from dodging death at their jaws.

It is night by the time he returns, carrying the carcass of several of the red beetles over his shoulder. He scoffs softly as he remembers a time in which he struggled to lift even one above his shoulders and shakes his head at how foolish such a notion seems now. The cave is quiet, with only the outside sounds of wind gushing around their home breaking up the silence.

He walks up to the opposite side of his father leaving the animals on the ground between them. Paragus would wake in several hours, and not having to hunt for his morning meal would be a welcome surprise for him. Broly crosses his arms as he leans back against the warm rock, settling on his spot for the past several years.

'Feeling better?'

His eyes open at the sound of his father's voice. A small moment of panic seizes him, before he presses his lips together and forces himself to remember that he is not a child anymore, and his power is more than sufficient to travel for as long as he wishes.

'Yes... The animals on the south are growing well. They will attract many beetles in a few years.'

'Heh, of course you'd go check up on them... Sleep, son.'

Broly gives his father a confirmatory grunt before settling back down with his eyes closed. It's a novel feeling, being able to simply come back without having to explain himself or give a report, and a part of him wonders if it might be best to add an apology before falling asleep, but he decides against it. It would do nothing but maybe earn a grunt from Paragus. Best to let him sleep.

There aren't too many words, not between the two of them. They both know by now. His hands rest on her lower back as he looks into her eyes, a curiously human gesture that he has learned from watching them. Her hands are still crossed, as if guarded against him, but the smirk on her face betrays her real intentions. This is just another fight, another contest. The soft pitter-patter of rain outside drums a soothing rhythm into their minds.

Their bodies remain a hair's breadth from each other's. He breaks the silence first, with the first thing that comes into his mind, a thought that was expelled before he had a chance to fully process it.

'I want to be stronger than you' Kakarot whispers with a smile, blushing slightly as Fasha raises an eyebrow at his comment. 'To show you. To... give back.'

'I know...' she replies after a moment, resting one hand on his chest and giving him an honest smile. 'I can tell in the way you train every day. You're honest. It's not something that was encouraged or admired in planet Vegeta. I like it.'

'Good, because I don't exactly know another way to be.'

'You don't need another' she grins as she stands on her tiptoes and leans her mouth against his, her lips pressing against his without hesitation. The young saiyan leans fully into the kiss, his hands angrily reaching for Fasha's thigh to lift her up. She lets out an approving moan as she gets lifted off the ground, her arms wrapping around his shoulders as she stares into his eyes, pressing her forehead against his. 'I don't want you losing focus because of this. No matter what happens-'

'I know. I haven't forgotten' he reassures her with a serious face before grinning and going back to kissing her, turning around to pin her against the wall.

Fasha lets out a satisfied grunt, only half listening to his answer at this point. Kakarot closes his eyes as he kisses her again, and he misses the conflicted look on Fasha's face, present for a brief moment before she shakes it off and returns to the matter at hand.

The morning finds Fasha flying across the ocean. A deep chasm spreads in front of her, and she passes the water rushes back to fill the space she forcefully vacated, making the ocean roar with the fury of its disturbance.

Her face is perfectly neutral as she lands on Kame House. Her pink bodysuit and armour are as pristine as the day she first got them, courtesy of the Brief's family, who were far too generous to them for their own good. Her tail angrily snapped at the air before whipping back into place, wrapping tightly around her waist. She crosses her arms underneath her chest as she walks towards the door, before she spots the old man resting on the beach chair, a magazine covering his face from the early sun.

She approaches him slowly, reaching down to peel the magazine away from his face, revealing his sleeping face, completely at ease.

'Old man' she speaks, not unkindly. He doesn't stir for a moment and she pats his cheek with the back of her hand, hard enough to leave a light pink mark and he wakes up with a cry of surprise and confusion, his hands flailing about reckless and betraying exactly how out of shape he was.

'W-what, who?'

'Calm down, it's just me' she snaps at him, dropping the magazine back on his face and walking away, giving him a moment to compose himself. She hears him cough as he sits up on the wooden chair, adjusting his glasses as he looks at her.

'Awfully rude of you to wake an old man from his nap' he mumbles as he rubs his eyes, tossing the magazine on the chair as he stands up, taking a deep breath and looking out to the ocean, drinking in the sight before turning his face to look up at her. 'What brings you here today? Not that I'm complaining, I rarely get to have female company.'

Fasha ignores the comment, rarely caring what the old man thought or said about her. It's not his lecherous thoughts that cause her pause, but rather his insightful words from weeks before. It's easy to forget amongst the laziness and the lust and the old age, but this man had been a warrior at some point, and the fire still burns inside of him, she knows that much.

'Why did you reach me out, that day? There wasn't anything special, we hadn't changed anything or said anything different. You just arrived and spoke like time was of the essence, like if you didn't speak to me at that time it would be too late later.'

Roshi doesn't answer for a while, stroking his beard as he looks at the ocean with the patience only immortality can grant.

'You weren't here for most of Goku's life, specifically for his formative years, when the boy became a man' he speaks, but there's no blame on his voice. 'And during that time Goku left behind parts of himself, parts that you have awoken back with a passion. He learned from us and he adopted parts of our culture into his being, without ever losing what makes him, himself. At least until you came back, and his older brother tagged along a short while later... When I see him now I see only Kakarot, only a man driven entirely towards vengeance, without any balance or restraint. I feel that your drive and his brother's influence is taking away a lot of good from that boy, and what's going to remain is nothing but a self destructive creature that will go to any lengths to fulfill his goal' he explains with a long sigh, his shoulders slouching forwards in what appears to be resignation.

'I spoke that day because in Goku I now see only yourself, but without your wisdom and experience. You think that because he has the exact same goal in mind that you do that he implicitly knows your reasoning behind it, and worse, that he shares it. You wish to kill Frieza at any cost because you know that you'd rather die free than live under his shadow, in the hopes Kakarot and Raditz won't have to make that choice, but they only see it as more fuel for the fire, and instead of fulfilling your dream of them being free you'd doom them to follow you into martyrdom, and then what? You would have died for nothing, and they would have died ruining your dreams and your goals.'

Fasha looks down at him with her guard up, her body rigid and her face impassive, staring into his face like she's an automaton, doing nothing but analyzing his words for value. But little by little she can feel each blow, each verbal strike and jab completely shattering her retorts and comebacks before she even has a chance to materialize them into being. She starts to buckle under his words, part of her angry at him, and another part impressed and ashamed at how easily he can read her and how well he can vocalize the thoughts that refuse to leave her.

Roshi doesn't speak for a while, but after some time he turns up at her, lowering his sunglasses to give her a knowing look. She meets his gaze for several long moments, until she relents and nods, closing her eyes as she ponders.

'Very well' Fasha mutters before gently rising into the air. She looks down at him with a hint of a smile before taking off, leaving a faint whirlwind of sand that dies as fast as it was birthed.

Janey gives the old man his chocolate milkshake with a smile, taking his money and handing him a single bill back before putting it away on the cash register. Her feet are killing her from the last four long hours, but it's just another five minutes until her break.

It always ends up getting busier during the hot days, and she wishes she could take off the stupid black apron with the company logo, but her boss would just scold her if she did.

'I'll have a blueberry shake, with extra whipped cream, please' a young girl orders.

'Sure thing! Coming right up' Janey answers in the cheeriest tone that she can muster after such a long day.

She's halfway through pouring the ingredients into the mixer when a loud thunderclap is heard, and everybody stops, looking up in surprise.

The skies are clear, and there is no sign of rain. Janey finishes the milkshake and hands it to the young girl, who only half notices how much she's giving her. Confused and curious, Janey, steps out from the register, walking outside of the shop. A couple of other customers follow her, some upset about their orders, most just curious about the sound.

For a split second there is nothing but background noise, the regular sounds of a city in function. The sound of televisions playing channels nobody is paying attention to, the sound of cars and motorcycles moving around. For a split second everybody is just curiously looking up, wondering what that sound was, before the silence is interrupted by a loud, all-encompassing roar of machinery, louder than the loudest plane engine Janey has every heard.

She clutches her ears in pain as the sound gets louder by the second, and most people are almost on their knees from the shockwaves.

She looks up at the last second to see two bright trails rushing towards the city, like a pair of comets. Her eyes widen in shock and fear as she sees them rushing towards them, and for a brief moment she fears that they're all going to die, before the comets turns upwards and pass them by, heading deeper into the center of the city.

She hears somebody wonder out loud what that was before there is a massive impact that shakes the ground. Glasses fall over and people scream in surprise and fear as they clutch nearby lampposts, benches, and other people for support. Janey doesn't even realize she's holding on to an older man when the shaking stops.

'It's over' he answers meekly, looking around, as if trying to find the source of the disturbance. Janey doesn't answer, her eyes staring at the black plume of smoke that is coming further north, from the center of the city.

'Of course there would be an earthquake on a Sunday, I just can't catch a break' a woman complains as she struggles to clean her milkshake from her dress, angrily swiping at it with a napkin. Janey leaves the shop with a look of horror in her face, rushing towards the street. She's joined by several others, the crowd growing as they all approach the industrial sector of the city, where the comets seem to have landed.

One moment she's running towards the commotion, led in part by her curiosity and fear and in part by the weight of bodies behind her, and the next moment she feels another earthquake beneath her feet. She doesn't have time to scream before the ground explode from beneath them, and an intolerable heat liquifies their bodies.

White hot light emerges from beneath them, angrily reaching out to consume everything it can reach, and East City is destroyed in but an instant. The shockwaves blow out the glass from buildings on the outskirts, and the shattering of the ground causes multiple of them to collapse and collide with each other, raising further plumes of dust and shattered concrete all over. People scream as masonry and vehicles collapse on them. Vehicles desperately try to dodge the cracking ground only to fall into deep chasms or get stuck in the unstable ground. Voices rise in panic for a few seconds before there is only a massive explosion engulfing the city.

'Doesn't look like the locals are too friendly' Nappa chuckles as he lowers his arm, looking around at the devastation he wrought with a flick of his wrist.

'End it here, Nappa. I don't want you lowering what little value this remote planet might have by getting overly enthusiastic with your games' Prince Vegeta admonishes him as he looks around. The younger saiyan is slightly shorter than most men, with spiky black hair that rises upwards, just like his father's. His features are those of the royal family, sharp, elegant and almost usually narrowed in a cruel scowl. His tail wraps around his waist tightly as he scans the area around them.

Nappa crosses his arms over his barrelled chest and nods, suitable chastised.

'Good point, Vegeta' he admits before scanning around the planet. The prince looks up at his previous caretaker, now his loyal subject and can't help but feel disgust at his submissive attitude. Back when planet Vegeta still existed, Nappa had commanded respect and the fear of many, and even the young prince had accepted his prowess, after all they were somewhat evenly matched back then. But as the years moved on Nappa had gotten a tad too comfortable with their situation, and serving Vegeta.

He kept a close eye on Nappa's power since then, wary should it ever reach close to his own, but he shouldn't have bothered, the old man was clearly never going to get any stronger than what he is.

In Vegeta's mind, he has little use for him as a sparring partner, and the idea of Nappa assisting him is now laughable, but at the very least he is some efficient muscle to deal with things he can't be bothered to.

'Strange' Nappa mutters as he restarts his scouter and runs another check. 'There are many power levels, well above one thousand. There shouldn't be any aside from Raditz'!'

'Ignore them, they are not our target. Let's find Raditz and see what he's up to and what exactly is going through that dull head of his.'

'I can't wait to hear what excuse he's going to come up with this time.'

'It best be something good if he wants to save his life' Vegeta mutters before getting a lock. 'There' he grins as he sends the coordinates to Nappa before blasting off. 'Raditz must have found a friend and gotten soft, or maybe he's busy playing king of this dustball.'

'That would be like him, let a couple of weaklings get to his head! He probably got used to this comfy gravity and felt more powerful than he has any right to.'

'We'll find out soon enough.'

Kakarot's turns to the east, his eyes wide as he senses the two large powers approaching towards them. His brother grimly adjusts his armour and tightens his gloves, swallowing hard as he stands up in silence.

He takes a deep breath, and closes his eyes. The two energies flood through his senses, making it difficult to pinpoint their exact location, and a single crack of uncertainty appears on his armour.

'Shit.'

'Yeah.'


End file.
